THE-SHELLEYS 
GEORGIA 


BEATIUCE  YORgl  HOUGHTON 


THE  SHELLEYS  OF  GEORGIA 


"COME  BACK  TO  ME,  ROSE."— Page  395. 


THE  SHELLEYS  OF  GEORGIA 


BY 

BEATRICE  YORK  HOUGHTON 


ILLUSTRATED  BY 

J.  HENRY 


NEW    YORK 

GROSSET    &    DUNLAP 
PUBLISHERS 


Published,  August,  1917 


COPYRIGHT,  1917,  BY  LOTHROP,  LEE  &  SHEPARD  Co, 


All  Rights  Reserved. 
THE  SHELLEYS  OF  GEORGIA 


FOREWORD 

In  these  modern  days,  when  so  much  time  and 
thought  is  spent  on  progress  in  the  abstract;  when 
the  air  is  full  of  vague  idealisms ;  and  no  one  is  quite 
"up  to  date"  unless  he  or  she  is  advancing  some  the- 
ory for  the  uplift  of  humanity ;  it  is  refreshing  and 
stimulating  to  light  upon  a  person  who  not  only  pos- 
sesses a  clear  vision  but  a  clear  expression  of  it, 
whose  mind  is  bent  on  solving  large  problems  in  a 
large  way,  and  whose  solutions  are  all  the  more  as- 
tonishing for  their  simplicity  and  practicality.  Such 
a  person  is  James  Arthur  MacKnight  of  Atlanta, 
Georgia.  His  splendid  loyalty  to  his  State  and  to 
his  country  is  only  equalled  by  his  intense  longing  to 
help  onward  and  upward  that  country  and  that  State. 
In  this  foreword  I  acknowledge  my  deep  indebtedness 
to  him  for  material  and  for  inspiration  in  the  writ- 
ing of  this  book,  and  I  desire  publicly  to  thank  him. 

BEATEIOE  YOEK  HOUGHTOIT. 


2136146   ' 


THE  SHELLEYS  OF 
GEORGIA 


CHAPTEE  I 

AT  the  close  of  the  Civil  War  the  town  of 
Salem,  located  at  Bethel  Corners  in  Bucks 
County,  Georgia,  consisted  of  a  small  frame 
church,  a  smaller  schoolhouse,  a  meager  country 
store,  and  the  scattered  homes  of  perhaps  a  dozen 
families.  One  of  these  houses,  a  big,  old-fashioned 
mansion  at  the  town  end  of  acres  of  rolling  land, 
had  been  unoccupied  and  desolate  for  years,  with 
its  outhouses  and  stables  falling  into  ruin,  and  itself 
taking  on  the  haunted  look  which  attaches  to  places 
that  have  once  teemed  with  life  and  bustle.  Then 
its  owner,  Captain  Gabriel  Shelley,  returned  from 
the  war,  weak  and  emaciated  from  a  slowly  healing 
wound  and  the  hardships  he  had  undergone,  but  his 
brain  clear  and  overflowing  with  ideas.  He  opened 
the  house,  hired  the  negroes  who  once  had  been  his 
slaves,  and  in  less  than  thirty-three  years  he  "  made 
Salem." 

Captain  Gabe,  as  every  one  affectionately  called 


2       THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

him,  was  a  tall,  broad-shouldered  swarthy  man,  now 
past  sixty  years  of  age,  but  hale  and  hearty  and 
vigorous.  His  hair  was  thick,  curly,  and  iron-gray. 
His  face  was  clean-cut,  with  high  cheek-bones,  aqui- 
line nose,  and  beetling  brows.  His  mouth  was 
humorous  and  tender,  belying  the  uncompromising 
set  of  his  jaws,  and  saving  his  face  from  being  too 
stern.  He  was  the  sort  of  man  who,  once  seen,  is 
never  forgotten.  For  years  Salem  had  proudly 
pointed  to  him  as  its  leading  citizen. 

In  October  of  the  year  1897,  the  town  could  boast 
a  population  of  nearly  ten  thousand.  It  had 
stretched  out  to  take  in  some  of  this  number  from 
the  families  scattered  over  the  neighboring  country- 
side, but  most  of  them  were  from  other  States,  drawn 
hither  by  the  prosperity  of  this  busy  center.  Ee- 
covered  entirely  from  the  one  war,  it  was  eagerly 
advocating  another,  doing  all  in  its  power  to  raise 
the  enmity  towards  Spain  to  a  white  heat,  and 
spreading  broadcast  the  merits  of  its  own  special 
crack  company  of  Georgia  Militia,  whose  Captain, 
Thomas  Blankenship,  was  easily  the  most  petted 
and  spoiled  young  man  in  the  county.  He  belonged 
to  one  of  the  "  best  families,"  and  still  lived  on  the 
old  Blankenship  estate,  once  far  out  in  the  country, 
but  now  surrounded  by  suburban  homes  of  the  better 
class.  For  several  years  he  had  taken  an  active  part 
in  the  politics  of  Bucks  county,  of  which  Salem  was 
the  official  capital.  His  love-affairs  were  legion, 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA        3 

and  gossip  was  busy  just  now  in  coupling  his  name 
with  that  of  Gabe's  beautiful  daughter,  Rose. 

Rose  was  the  Captain's  child  by  his  first  marriage, 
when  he  had  given  Salem  one  of  many  surprises  by 
eloping  with  its  most  popular  belle.  After  her 
mother's  death  the  little  girl's  sedate  assumption 
of  the  role  of  housekeeper  for  her  father,  had 
made  the  whole  town  take  pride  in  her.  When, 
in  'ninety-three,  he  wooed  and  won  Madge  Ogle- 
thorpe,  daughter  of  the  county  judge,  the  grace  with 
which  Rose  handed  over  the  reins  of  management 
to  the  young  and  lovely  bride,  and  the  ensuing  com- 
radeship between  them,  became  an  interesting  topic 
in  the  town,  cited  on  all  occasions  as  a  direct  refuta- 
tion of  the  old  stepmother  bugbear.  Shortly  after 
the  marriage  Rose  went  away  to  study  nursing  at  a 
school  in  Atlanta.  Why  a  girl  of  her  expectations  — 
Gabe  was  reputed  rich  —  should  care  to  do  anything 
but  enjoy  herself,  was  one  of  the  mysteries  Salem  was 
never  able  to  fathom.  She  was  graduated  in  the 
spring  before  this  story  opens,  and  as  yet  had  put  her 
training  to  no  practical  use. 

Some  years  back  Captain  Gabe  had  entered  the 
peach  industry.  His  example  was  zealously  followed 
by  other  landowners,  and  Salem  soon  became  the 
center  of  a  broad  belt  of  orchards,  producing  an  ex- 
cellent quality  of  fruit.  Gabe's  other  occupations  of 
politician,  orator,  sheriff,  banker,  lawyer,  and  news- 
paper editor  all  bade  fair  to  be  overshadowed  by  this 


4        THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

new  business.  His  partial  crop  of  peaches,  the  last 
of  which  had  been  harvested  in  September,  had  been 
of  such  quality  and  quantity  as  to  promise  him  a 
wonderful  yield  next  year,  and  the  fall  had  been  spent 
by  him  in  putting  his  orchards  into  the  best  possible 
shape  for  the  short  southern  winter  now  to  follow. 

October  is  always  a  warm  month  in  Georgia,  more 
beautiful  than  summer  itself,  because  of  a  mysterious 
something  in  the  season  which  hints  that  its  halcyon 
days  are  soon  to  give  way  to  the  rains  of  winter. 
This  morning  it  was  especially  lovely,  and  all  Salem 
went  out-of-doors  into  its  gardens,  basking  in  the  sun- 
shine and  the  abundance  of  the  flowers.  At  the 
Shelleys',  the  roses  were  still  in  bloom,  and  held  up 
their  pink  faces  bravely,  wondering,  doubtless,  why  no 
one  came  to  admire  them.  They  were  not  used  to 
being  left  alone. 

But  through  the  whole  long  October  morning,  the 
big  old-fashioned  house  idled  in  the  glare  of  the  sun, 
in  a  quite  unaccustomed  solitude.  It  spread  itself  in 
anxious  hospitality  among  its  trees  and  vines.  Never 
had  its  porch  chairs  and  hammocks  looked  more  com- 
fortable and  inviting;  never  had  its  gables  achieved 
such  cool  miracles  in  the  way  of  shade,  or  its  open 
doors  and  windows  given  forth  more  tempting  hints 
of  restfulness  within.  But  it  was  all  of  no  avail,  and 
the  big  house  at  last  grew  tired  from  its  unappreciated 
efforts,  and  drowsed  disconsolately  in  the  noonday 
sun. 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF    GEORGIA        5 

Then  all  of  a  sudden  everything  changed.  The 
place  awoke  to  life  as  surely  as  if  it  were  human  and 
really  able  to  indulge  itself  in  slumber.  For  such 
homes  gain  in  animation  or  sink  into  repose  through 
the  presence  or  absence  of  their  occupants,  and  now 
Madge  Shelley,  Captain  Gabe's  second  wife,  was  com- 
ing quickly  from  the  direction  of  the  orchard  and  the 
stables. 

She  was  dressed  in  white,  with  the  full  sleeves  and 
skirts  which  were  fashionable  then,  and  wore  a  broad- 
brimmed  leghorn  hat  trimmed  with  violets.  In  one 
hand  she  carried  a  bunch  of  crimson  dahlias,  in  the 
other  a  riding-whip.  But  she  was  pale  and  wan,  with 
shadows  under  her  blue  eyes,  for  she  had  spent  a  long 
and  tiring  night  with  her  Aunt  Betty  Oglethorpe, 
who  was  ill;  and  as  she  neared  the  house  her  face 
expressed  increasing  disappointment  because  Gabe 
had  failed  to  come  part  way  to  meet  her  upon  this 
lovely  morning.  She  had  counted  on  it,  someway, 
longing  to  rest  her  tired  self  in  the  strong  tenderness 
of  his  embrace,  and  in  her  present  state  of  fatigue  she 
found  no  comfort  in  the  thought  that  something  very 
important  must  have  arisen  to  detain  him.  What 
could  be  more  important  than  her  return?  What 
could  have  been  sufficiently  large  in  interest  to  step 
between  them  ?  She  could  think  of  nothing  —  noth- 
ing at  all  —  and  when  she  reached  the  trees  in  front 
of  the  house  she  sank  down  upon  a  bench,  tossed  her 
flowers  and  whip  upon  a  chair  near  by,  and  gave  her- 


6       THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

self  over  completely  to  the  feeling  of  sadness  which 
the  lack  of  his  welcome  had  caused  to  grow  in  her 
after  her  night  of  sorrow  and  alarm. 

Her  coming  had  quickened  the  inmates  of  the 
house  as  well  as  the  house  itself,  and  she  was  allowed 
no  time  for  self-complainings,  for  Uncle  Jack,  the 
negro  butler,  stepped  at  once  out  of  the  door.  He 
was  distressingly  black  in  contrast  to  the  immaculate 
white  he  wore,  and  possessed  a  pride  of  manner  which 
nothing  was  ever  able  to  upset.  He  was  an  "  edju- 
cated  niggah,"  with  the  intention  of  some  day  enter- 
ing the  ministry.  Holding  no  opportunity  too  small 
for  practice,  his  least  word  was  rolled  forth  sonor- 
ously. 

"  Baig  yo'  pahdon,  Miss  Madge,  but  hyah  am  a  let- 
tah,  which  Cap'n  Gabe  done  tol'  me  to  gib  you  when 
you  come." 

He  held  out  a  small  silver  tray  on  whose  glittering 
bosom  the  letter  reposed  which  was  to  start  a  course 
of  events  quite  foreign  to  the  bustling  town  of  Salem. 

Immediately  Madge  woke  to  eager  life.  She 
snatched  the  letter  from  the  tray,  tore  it  open  and 
devoured  its  brief  words.  Immediately  the  color 
deepened  in  her  cheeks,  her  blue  eyes  shone,  and  the 
dimples  began  to  play  hide  and  seek  about  her  mouth. 

"  I  reckon  you  wuz  moughty  glad  to  git  dat  ar 
lettah,  Miss  Madge  ? "  insinuated  Uncle  Jack  with 
the  utmost  solemnity.  He  was  a  privileged  member 
of  the  household  and  so  guilty  of  no  presumption. 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA        7 

"  Yes,  Uncle  Jack,"  laughed  Madge,  all  her  sad- 
ness gone.  "  He  says  important  business  — " 

"  Aw  now,  Miss  Madge,  do  he  begin  it  data  way  ?" 

"Why?  How  should  he  begin  it?"  drawled 
Madge,  peeping  over  the  paper  roguishly. 

"  TJndah  simlah  circumstances,  Miss  Madge,  I 
reckon  I  should  deliberate,  '  Honahed  an'  highly  re- 
spectable lady :  I  takes  my  pen  in  hand  to  inf  awm  you 
dat  I  is  lamentably  detain'  f'om  yo'  beloved  pres- 
ence — > " 

Madge's  clear  laugh  rang  out  again.  "  Nonsense, 
Uncle  Jack.  You  wouldn't  begin  a  letter  to  your 
wife  like  that,  now  would  you  ?  " 

A  grin  spread  slowly  over  the  negro's  face.  "  Well, 
no,  mistis,"  he  admitted.  "I  reckon  I'd  jus'  say 
'  Honey  Lamb,'  or  some  sech  foolishness." 

"  That's  what  the  Captain  did,  only  he  says  *  Darl- 
ing,' "  confided  Madge.  "  '  My  Darling :  Important 
business  calls  me  to  the  hills  beyond  Cave  Springs. 
I  am  driving  in  a  buggy  and  go  alone,  but  I  expect  to 
have  a  passenger  returning.  I  will  try  to  get  back 
by  four  or  five  o'clock.  Say  nothing  to  any  one  of 
my  movements.  Yours  wholly,  G.' 

"Isn't  that  a  nice  note,  Uncle  Jack?  Of  course 
you  knew  something  about  it,  so  he  didn't  mean  I  was 
to  say  nothing  to  you,  did  he?  What  do  you  sup- 
pose he  means  by  saying  he  went  alone  but  expects  to 
have  a  passenger  back  ?  Did  you  see  who  it  was  that 
called  him  away,  Uncle  Jack  ?  " 


8       THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

"  Yes'm,  dat  I  did,  but  I  wuz  not  acquainted  wid  de 
pusson,  mistis." 

"  Oh ! "  said  Madge,  with  a  smile.  Evidently 
Uncle  Jack  did  not  approve  of  "  de  pusson."  It  was 
as  well  to  change  the  subject.  "  I  stopped  in  to  see 
your  mother,  Uncle  Jack,  on  my  way  back  from  Aunt 
Betty's." 

"  Did  you,  Miss  Madge,  did  you  ? "  exclaimed 
Uncle  Jack,  almost  forgetting  his  dignity  in  his 
pleasure  at  the  news.  "  Now  I  calls  dat  right  down 
kin'  ob  you,  mistis.  Po'  ol'  maw,  she  cain't  eben 
git  out  ob  baid  dese  days,  an'  I  takes  it  right  kin'ly, 
Miss  Madge,  dat  you  stop  to  see  huh." 

"  She  seemed  very  bright  and  cheerful,  and  sent 
her  love  to  you,  and  said  you  were  to  be  a  good  boy." 
Uncle  Jack  put  a  hand  to  his  whitening  wool  and 
looked  a  trifle  foolish.  "  Where  is  Miss  Rose  ? " 
asked  Madge  abruptly. 

"  Miss  Rose,  she  done  gone  into  town,"  returned 
Uncle  Jack,  recovering  his  equanimity  and  his  dig- 
nity at  one  breath.  "  She  'spect  to  be  home  in  time 
fo'  dinner.  Dah  she,  now." 

Madge  turned,  and  together  they  watched  a  tall 
handsome  girl  on  a  tall  handsome  horse,  riding  into 
the  yard  through  the  side  gate.  She  was  in  the  first 
rosy  bloom  of  young  womanhood,  perhaps  nineteen 
or  twenty  years  of  age.  Her  eyes  were  dark,  and  the 
clear  color  of  her  cheeks  was  like  that  on  the  breast  of 
a  ripe  peach.  Her  skin  had  the  creamy  tint  and 


THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA        9 

downy  texture  of  the  same  fruit.  She  wore  a  khaki 
riding-coat  and  hat  and  divided  skirt,  which  had  given 
the  old-fashioned  folk  in  Salem  quite  a  shock  when 
she  first  appeared  in  it.  She  was  gauntleted  and  car- 
ried a  riding-whip.  She  guided  her  horse  across  the 
short  grass  to  Madge,  and,  disdaining  Uncle  Jack's 
offered  aid,  swung  herself  down  with  a  free  and  agile 
motion,  and  let  him  lead  the  animal  away.  But  all 
the  while  she  evaded  Madge's  eyes,  and  it  was  evident 
that,  had  she  been  able  to  do  so  without  appearing 
rude,  she  would  have  evaded  Madge  herself. 

"  Awfully  warm,"  she  said  now,  fanning  herself 
vigorously  with  her  hat,  which  she  pulled  off  for  the 
purpose.  "  Almost  like  summer.  How's  your  Aunt 
Betty?" 

But  Madge  had  no  intention  of  being  put  off,  and 
now  she  stretched  out  a  slender  hand  and  drew  the  girl 
down  beside  her.  "  Eose,"  she  exclaimed.  "  What 
is  it?" 

"  I  don't  know  what  you  mean,"  said  Rose,  with  a 
vexed  laugh. 

"  Yes,  you  do,"  retorted  Madge.  "  You  are  keep- 
ing something  from  me.  I  think  I  have  a  right 
to  your  confidence,  Eose.  Won't  you  give  it  to 
me?" 

Eose  stirred  restlessly.     "  Why  should  I  ?  " 

"  Haven't  I  proved  myself  your  friend  ? "  asked 
Madge  quietly. 

Something   in   her   grave    question   touched   the 


10      THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

younger  girl.  Impulsively  she  turned  to  Madge. 
"  If  I  could  be  sure !  "  she  cried.  "  If  I  could  only 
be  sure!" 

"  The  only  way  you  can  be  sure  is  to  try  me,"  ex- 
plained Madge  gently.  "  Be  frank  with  me.  I 
promise  I'll  be  frank  with  you  — " 

"  That's  just  it  — "  began  Kose. 

"What?" 

"  You'll  be  too  frank,"  mutinied  the  girl.  "  You 
don't  like  Tom.  You'll  tell  me  so.  You'll  op- 
pose—" 

"Oppose  what?" 

"  Our  —  our  engagement."     This  latter  very  low. 

For  a  moment  Madge  was  tempted  to  do  just  this 
thing.  But  she  controlled  her  impulse  and  said 
slowly.  "  Then  you  have  been  riding  with  him,  as  I 
thought.  And  you  are  engaged  to  him.  Are  you 
sure  you  —  love  him  ?  " 

"  Of  course  I  do,"  asserted  Eose.  "  And  I  am  en- 
gaged to  him.  But  he  warned  me  —  as  if  I  did  not 
already  know  —  that  I  was  in  for  it  at  home.  I  don't 
understand,"  she  went  on  petulantly,  "  how  you  and 
my  father  can  be  so  —  so  narrow.  Tom  is  almost  as 
popular  as  Father,  and  has  as  much  influence  in  this 
county.  He  knows  every  one  and  goes  everywhere. 
He's  been  telling  me  about  some  of  his  friends  in 
Washington  and  Xew  York  —  you'd  be  surprised  if 
you  knew  their  names.  He's  good-looking,  too,  and  a 
gentleman.  Father  might  be  prejudiced  through 


THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA      11 

their  political  squabbles,  but  you,  Madge  —  surely 
jxm  ought  to  be  too  just  to  condemn  a  man  because 
he  loved  you  once, —  and  has  changed." 

"  So,  he  told  you  that?  " 

"  Of  course  he  told  me.  He  has  told  me  every- 
thing. We  are  engaged,  you  know." 

Madge  rose  with  a  hopeless  gesture.  She  walked 
toward  the  house,  then  turned  and  came  swiftly  back. 
"  How  can  I  make  you  see  ?  How  can  I  make  you 
understand  ?  "  she  cried.  "  You  are  so  young,  so  in- 
experienced, so  untried.  You  have  been  kept  so  in- 
nocent, and  the  wonder  is  that  you  yielded  to  such 
keeping.  I  was  kept  innocent,  too,  and  yet  somehow 
I  knew  things  —  I  was  able  to  judge  Tom  Blanken- 
ship  even  when  he  loved  me.  I  told  myself  a  mo- 
ment ago  that  I  must  not  interfere, —  that  every  word 
I  say  will  onlj  strengthen  your  inclination  towards 
him.  And  yet  I  can't,  in  fairness  to  you,  leave  you 
without  warning  you  that  you'll  be  sorry  if  ever  you 
marry  Tom  Blankenship." 

"  How  do  you  know  ?  What  proofs  have  you  of 
that?" 

"  I  have  no  proofs,  and  yet  I  know,"  insisted 
Madge.  "  And  your  father  feels  as  I  do.  Doesn't 
his  judgment  count  ?  " 

"He  makes  mistakes  sometimes,"  flared  Eose. 
"  And  Tom  is  too  proud  to  stoop  to  self-defense.  As 
for  you,  Madge,  I  love  you  dearly,  and  I  believe  you 
love  me.  But  until  you  can  show  me  that  your  mar- 


12      THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

riage  with  my  father  was  entirely  disinterested,  I'll 
not  believe  you  have  the  right  to  judge  Tom  Blanken- 
ship." 

"  Rose,  stop !  "  cried  Madge.     "  I  know  how  you 
feel,  but  some  day  you  will  discover  your  mistake. , 
Perhaps  it  is  because  I  am  so  happy  that  I  know  that » 
only  a  union  like  ours  is  worth  while." 

"Well  then,"  cried  Eose,  springing  to  her  feet. 
"  It  is  my  intention  to  marry  Tom,  and  to  make  our 
marriage  worth  while,  too.  Does  that  satisfy  you  ?  " 
And  she  ran  into  the  house. 

Madge  looked  after  her  with  a  troubled  face.  She 
felt  quite  helpless,  and  knew  she  would  always  be 
helpless  unless  in  some  unexpected  fashion  she  could 
light  upon  certain  proofs  of  what  she  felt  instinctively 
to  be  the  truth.  The  telephone,  which  stood  on  the 
Gallery  table,  now  startled  her  from  her  musing. 
She  hastened  to  answer  the  insistent  bell,  and  as  she 
listened,  she  gave  a  low  cry  of  dismay.  She  put  down 
the  receiver  and  called  to  Uncle  Jack,  who  hurried 
round  the  corner  of  the  house  in  answer  to  her  sum- 
mons. 

"Uncle  Jack,"  she  said  sharply.  "Aunt  Betty 
wants  me  right  away.  They  are  sending  the  carriage 
for  me.  She  has  something  to  tell  me.  She  always 
has  something  to  tell  me — "  And  talking  breath- 
lessly, she  rushed  down  the  steps  and  over  to  the  gate, 
as  a  handsome  turnout  dashed  up  to  it. 

She  had  entered  the  carriage  when  Rose,  up-stairs, 


THE    SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA      13 

leaned  from  an  open  window.  "  Madge,"  she  called 
softly.  "  I  was  a  little  fiend  to  you.  Forgive  me." 

Madge  turned  to  wave  a  magnanimous  hand. 
"Good-by,  dear,"  she  called.  "Aunt  Betty  wants 
me.  I'll  hurry  back.  Good-by."  She  managed  to 
put  only  the  brightest,  fondest  love  into  her  tones. 

A  second  later  she  was  out  of  sight  and  Kose  with- 
drew her  pretty  head. 

3Tor  a  short  space  the  old  house  sank  again  to  slum- 
ber. And  then  so  silently  as  scarcely  to  disturb  it,  a 
man  stepped  out  from  the  orchard,  and  slipped  over 
to  the  same  bench  where  Kose  and  Madge  had  sat  and 
talked  a  moment  before.  He  was  straight  and  tall, 
extremely  handsome,  very  self-possessed,  and  so  well- 
groomed  as  to  make  his  slight  look  of  dissipation 
rather  attractive  than  otherwise.  He  was  dressed  in 
riding-clothes.  He  smiled  to  himself  as  he  lit  a  ciga- 
rette and  took  a  few  meditative  puffs.  It  was  a  smile 
of  egoism,  yet  somehow  lovable.  Here  was  a  man 
whom  one  liked  while  condemning,  and  who  knew  and 
traded  on  this  fact. 

Having  settled  himself  on  the  bench  to  his  satis- 
faction, he  gave  a  soft  whistle  like  the  love-note  of  a 
bird,  to  apprise  Rose  that  he  was  waiting,  and  then 
turned  to  a  newspaper  which  he  found  on  a  rustic 
table  near.  It  was  Gabe's  own  paper,  and  the  edi- 
torial was  a  direct  attack  upon  the  war  talk  now  circu- 
lating through  the  town  and  county,  and  contained 
more  than  one  allusion  to  "  The  Captain  of  our 


14      THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

troop,"  who,  it  seemed,  had  been  busy  stirring  up  still 
greater  excitement,  and  getting  in  some  political  rows 
as  well,  wherein,  according  to  said  editorial,  he  had 
shown  that  he  had  the  interests  of  himself  and  of  his 
own  particular  class  at  heart,  rather  than  the  good  of 
the  populace  at  large. 

As  the  man  upon  the  bench  read  through  this  edi- 
torial his  lips  tightened,  his  eyes  gleamed  and  his 
nostrils  widened  in  a  cruel  sneer.  Indeed,  so  plainly 
did  he  show  that  the  feelings  roused  in  him  were  due 
to  personal  rancor  and  offended  pride,  that  it  was 
not  difficult  to  see  that  he  was  none  other  than  the  man 
referred  to,  Thomas  Blankenship  himself.  His 
cheeks  flushed,  his  handsome  brow  knit  itself  into  an 
ugly  frown,  the  whole  contour  of  his  face  changed 
beyond  recognition.  One  would  have  said  that  this 
was  not  the  same  man  who  had  entered  the  garden  a 
moment  ago,  eager,  handsome,  entirely  complacent 
and  at  ease.  His  look  so  altered  that  instinctively 
one  feared  him. 

It  was  so  that  Rose  saw  him,  when  at  last  she  ran 
out  upon  the  Gallery  and  down  the  broad  steps  to  the 
lawn. 

She  had  dressed  to  meet  her  lover,  in  a  simple 
gown  of  white.  Her  hair,  caught  up  loosely  in  a 
fashion  he  admired,  shimmered  in  the  sunlight.  Her 
cheeks  were  flushed  with  expectation,  her  dark  eyes 
like  twin  stars  under  their  long  lashes.  But  the  first 
glimpse  of  his  face  brought  her  quickly  to  a  pause* 


THE    SHELLEYS    OF   GEORGIA      15 

She  changed  from  expectancy  to  hesitation,  and  even 
to  a  something  resembling  fright.  Then  he  realized 
her  presence,  and,  flinging  down  the  paper,  sprang  to 
his  feet  and  came  to  meet  her.  Before  his  out- 
stretched hands,  his  face  now  beaming  with  the  love 
it  knew  so  well  how  to  express,  her  momentary  feeling 
left  her,  and  for  all  she  remembered  of  it,  had  never 
been.  Yet  it  had  left  its  impress  on  her  heart,  and 
under  its  unconscious  influence  she  spoke. 

"  What  were  you  reading,  to  make  you  look  so 


"  Oh,  nothing,"  he  answered  lightly,  striving  to  be 
magnanimous  before  her  at  least.  "  Your  father  has 
been  holding  up  my  virtues  for  inspection,  and  has 
succeeded  in  finding  a  number  of  places  in  need  of 
patching.  However,  I  am  getting  used  to  that  sort  of 
thing." 

"  It  is  too  bad,"  murmured  the  girl,  much  dis- 
tressed. "  But,  Tom,  Father  does  not  understand, 
that's  all.  I  don't  think  he  means  those  things  quite 
as  personally  as  you  suppose." 

"  They  do  not  matter."  With  a  careless  gesture  he 
appeared  to  dismiss  them  entirely  from  his  mind. 
Then,  in  low,  passionate  tones,  he  continued. 
11  Nothing  matters  but  just  you.  I've  got  to  make 
sure  of  you,  you  beautiful  thing!  That's  why  I've 
been  hiding  in  the  orchard,  and  why  I've  ventured 
here  in  your  stepmother's  absence.  I've  got  to  make 
sure  of  you,  at  once  — " 


16      THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

"  Make  sure  of  me  ?  I  do  not  understand  you." 
Her  eyes  grew  mocking. 

"  You  know  you  promised.  You  promised  me  this 
morning  — " 

"  I  promised  nothing.  That  is  —  I  didn't  exactly 
promise.  I  said  —  I  said  I'd  think  it  over." 

"  And  now  you've  thought  it  over,  you  are  going  to 
say*  Yes/  You  shall!  You  must!  I'll  not  let  you 
say  anything  else.  I'll  seal  your  lips  with  kisses  — 
so  —  and  not  let  them  open  at  all  until  I  read  in  your 
eyes  that  you  are  going  away  with  me  to-night,  far, 
far  away,  just  you  and  I  —  alone." 

She  slipped  out  of  his  clasping  arms  and  shook  her 
curls  at  him  in  shy  rebuke.  "  You  take  too  much  for 
granted,  Mr.  Blankenship,"  she  cried  with  flaming 
cheeks.  "  You  ought  not  to  come  here  anyway.  You 
know  my  father  doesn't  like  it.  And  I  truly  don't 
know  yet  whether  I  shall  go  with  you  or  not.  I 
haven't  made  up  my  mind." 

"  Why  not,  if  you  love  me,  Eose  ?  You  are  mine 
and  I  want  you  now." 

"  You  see  I've  never  been  engaged  before,"  she  re- 
minded him.  "  And  I  have  never  run  away  to  get 
married,  either.  How  do  I  know  what  it's  like  — 
to  leave  home  and  friends,  to  deceive  my  dear  father, 
to  give  up  everything  I  call  life  now,  just  for  —  for 
you?" 

"  You  know  now  how  it  feels  to  be  engaged.  You 
have  been  engaged  to  me  for  two  whole  hours  — " 


THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA      17 

"  Two  whole  hours !  Yes,  and  lots  of  girls  are 
engaged  for  as  many  years.  Why,  I  haven't  had  time 
to  get  used  to  it  yet,  and  here  you  are  begging  me  to 
run  away.  I  don't  think  I  want  to  run  away.  I'd 
rather  be  married  here,  in  the  church,  with  brides- 
maids, and  presents,  and  a  wedding-cake,  and,  oh,  a 
veil,  and  lots  of  things !  " 

"But  your  father  does  not  like  me.  His  wife 
hates  me.  They'll  never  consent  to  our  marriage, 
much  less  to  giving  you  a  wedding." 

"  They  might,  if  I  coaxed,"  she  said,  demurely. 
tl  You  don't  know  what  a  coaxer  I  am,  nor  how  much 
my  father  will  do  for  me  if  I  set  myself  to  make  him. 
Let  us  wait  and  see." 

He  gave  a  groan  of  despair.  "  They'll  teach  you 
to  despise  me,"  he  cried  passionately.  "  They'll 
stoop  to  anything  to  accomplish  that  Oh,  my  darl- 
ing, listen  but  a  moment !  Your  own  mother  —  she 
whose  place  Madge  Oglethorpe  has  usurped  —  why  I 
can  remember  her,  Rose.  She  was  just  like  you,  the 
sweetest,  prettiest  girl  that  ever  lived  in  Salem.  She 
was  the  light  of  your  father's  eyes,  and  they  were 
happy,  oh,  but  they  were  happy!  Yet  her  people 
were  against  him,  Eose,  and  she  was  forced  to  fly  at 
night,  to  marry  in  the  face  of  opposition.  You  know 
how  Captain  Gabe  used  to  boast  of  it,  and  how  often 
he  said  that  runaway  matches,  like  runaway  horses, 
often  turned  out  the  best  in  the  end  ?  " 

Again  he  put  his  arm  about  her  and  drew  her 


18     THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

close,  so  close  that  his  cheek  pressed  hers,  and  she 
could  feel  the  beating  of  his  heart  against  her  shoul- 
der. "  See !  "  he  breathed,  pointing  with  his  free 
hand  as  if  an  actual  scene  lay  there  before  them. 
"  See  the  glorious  happiness  that  waits  for  us  over 
yonder.  To-night  I'll  come  for  you,  Eose.  I'll  be 
waiting  at  the  cross-roads  at  seven,  with  my  fastest 
horse.  In  an  hour  we'll  be  at  th«  Junction,  in  an- 
other hour  we'll  be  in  the  city,  and  ten  minutes  later 
we'll  be  married,  you  and  I.  And  then  the  joy! 
Think  of  it,  Eose.  I'll  buy  you  everything.  I'll 
take  you  to  New  York,  London,  Paris,  everywhere. 
I'll  lay  the  whole  world  at  your  feet.  You'll  be  a 
queen,  I  tell  you,  a  queen,  clothed  in  shining  gar- 
ments, your  beautiful  hair  roped  with  pearls,  with 
diamonds  flashing  in  those  little  ears  and  on  these 
dear  white  hands.  You  will  not  even  have  to  wish 
for  things.  They'll  be  yours  before  you  have  known 
you  wanted  them.  I'll  make  it  my  business  to  create 
new  longings  in  you,  only  for  the  pleasure  of  seeing 
them  gratified.  And  always,  behind  the  pleasure  and 
the  joy  will  be  that  deeper  pleasure,  that  greatest  of 
all  joys  —  my  love  for  you.  I'll  make  you  happy, 
Eose." 

"But,  Tom,"  she  interrupted,  her  eager  eyes 
clouded  with  sudden  pain.  "  The  suffering  in  the 
world, —  could  we  be  so  happy  when  there  is  suffering 
in  the  world  ?  " 

He  looked  at  her  blankly  for  a  moment,  recalled 


THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA      19 

thus  abruptly  from  his  visioning.  Then,  "  What  has 
a  girl  like  you  to  do  with  suffering  ?  "  he  demanded, 
roughly. 

"  Oh,  but  it's  there ! "  she  exclaimed,  her  hands 
against  her  heart.  "  Always  it's  there  —  that  dull 
dark  undercurrent.  I  don't  know  much  about  it,  but 
I  feel  it  as  I  suppose  all  women  must.  And  now  we 
are  verging  upon  war.  What  of  that  ?  " 

"  I  shall  make  you  forget  it,"  he  asserted  boldly. 
"  My  love  shall  so  enfold  you  that  there'll  be  no  room 
for  brooding." 

"  But  I  don't  want  to  forget  it,"  she  assured  him 
earnestly.  "  I  don't  want  to  be  just  lightly  happy, 
Tom.  I  want  to  be  of  use,  and  I'd  never  be  quite 
satisfied  if  we  were  not  doing  something  for  those 
others  who  are  not  quite  so  fortunate  as  we." 

"  Then  we  will  do  something,"  he  promised  readily. 
"  We'll  fling  our  gold  abroad,  feed  the  hungry,  clothe 
the  ragged,  and  make  our  names  blessed.  They'll  call 
you  an  angel,  you  human  Eose,  and  when  you  die 
they'll  build  a  monument  to  you  —  why,  what's  the 
matter,  Eose  ?  " 

For  she  had  withdrawn  herself  again  and  was  sit- 
ting huddled  on  the  bench,  with  white  cheeks  and 
staring  eyes.  "  Death !  "  she  whispered,  hoarsely. 
"Death!" 

"  Are  you  afraid  of  it  ? "  he  asked,  looking  at  her 
strangely. 

"Not  afraid,"  she  answered.     "But  —  let's  not 


20     THE   SHELLEY S    OF    GEORGIA 

speak  of  it  now,  Tom.  Life  is  calling  me.  I  want  to 
live,  to  live  to  the  fullest  capacity  I  have  in  me,  just 
—  to live.  That's  all!" 

Even  at  this  moment  he  was  constrained  to  marvel 
at  her  self-expression.  This  impulsive  and  spirited 
girl,  standing  on  the  threshold  of  her  womanhood,  felt 
things  all  too  keenly.  If  the  mere  thought  of  the 
darker  side  of  life  could  blanch  her  cheek,  what  must 
be  her  capacity  for  suffering  when  the  realities  them- 
selves confronted  her?  And  then  so  quickly  she 
changed,  and  as  she  begged  just  to  live,  her  eyes 
glowed,  and  the  color  flooded  her  cheeks  once  more. 
The  man  hesitated  for  a  space,  brought  face  to  face 
with  his  half-formed  intentions,  and  questioning  if 
they  were  good.  He  knew  he  wanted  her  above  every- 
thing else  in  the  world.  Would  the  fulfillment  of  his 
longing  bring  her  all  he  promised  her,  and  all  she 
craved?  And  then  he  shrugged  his  shoulders  and 
tossed  his  burden  lightly  off.  He  wanted  her,  and 
that  was  all  sufficient  to  him  to  justify  anything  that 
he  might  say  or  do. 

"  Ah,  but  we  will  live,"  he  cried,  drawing  her  close 
again.  "  Only  say  that  you'll  come  with  me,  Kose, 
and  life  shall  give  you  of  its  best.  Say  Yes." 

"  How  can  I  help  it  when  you  paint  such  glowing 
pictures,"  she  sighed.  "  Father  will  forgive  me,  I 
know,  for  as  you  say  he  ran  away  with  my  own 
mother,  so  he  will  understand.  But  wait  a  moment, 
Tom.  There  is  one  thing  I  want  to  ask  you  to  ex- 


THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA      21 

plain  to  me  before  I  give  my  final  answer.  Not  about 
yourself,  but  about  your  brother." 

"  I'll  tell  you  anything  you  want  to  know,  you  darl- 
ing." 

"  Why  did  you  inherit  the  Blankenship  estates,  and 
your  elder  brother  receive  nothing  but  what  you  chose 
to  give  him  ?  I  don't  ask  this  because  people  say  ugly 
things  about  you,  but  because  I  know  your  reasons  for 
taking  your  inheritance  without  a  protest  must  have 
been  good,  and  because  this  is  one  of  my  father's 
strongest  items  against  you.  Hadn't  your  brother 
done  something  wicked,  something  unworthy  ?  " 

"  No,  he  was  good  enough,"  said  Tom.  "  But  he 
is  not  a  true  Blankenship.  I  am,  so  it  was  my  right 
to  take  my  father's  place." 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  that,  Tom  ? "  she  asked, 
wrinkling  her  pretty  brow. 

"  I'll  tell  you  the  tale  as  it  was  told  to  me,"  he 
said,  and,  sitting  with  an  arm  about  her,  he  began  to 
weave  the  story  as  though  talking  to  a  child. 


o 


CHAPTER  II 

* '  ^"""^  NCE  upon  a  time,"  he  stated,  playing 
with  the  small  firm  hand  that  yielded  it- 
self to  his.  "  Once  upon  a  time,  in  Eng- 
land, long  ago,  there  was  a  Lady  Blankenship  whose 
husband  worshiped  her  as  I  do  you.  She  was  a  lovely 
lady,  imperious,  self-willed,  and  wanting  costly 
gowns,  jewels,  balls  and  parties,  gaiety  and  fun. 
She  got  what  she  asked  for.  More  than  once  her  hus- 
band risked  life  itself  to  gratify  her  whim  for  some 
gewgaw  that  she  flung  away,  dissatisfied  as  soon  as 
she  received  it.  And  then,  one  day,  when  snow 
was  on  the  ground,  she  said  she'd  nevermore  be  happy 
or  content  until  she'd  tasted  cherries.  There  were  no 
hot-houses  in  those  days  and  for  once  her  wish  was  un- 
fulfilled. He  brought  her  curious  fruits  from  China, 
grapes  from  Italy,  oranges  from  Spain,  but  at  them 
all  she  shook  her  small  dark  head  and  called  for  cher- 
ries. l  Only  to  taste  but  one,'  she  begged.  And, 
'  Methinks,  milord,  that  your  love  can  scarce  be  all 
you  claim  it,  if  a  dear  wish  of  mine  can  thus  be 
slighted.'" 

"  Oh,  I  think  she  was  horrid,"  exclaimed  Eose. 
He  only  smiled  as  he  talked  on. 


THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA      23 

"  My  Lord  Blankenship  tore  his  hair  and  cursed 
his  varlets  all  to  no  avail.  Cherry-less  my  Lady  was, 
and  cherry-less  my  Lady  stayed,  until  springtime 
came  and  brought  the  blooming  trees.  It  brought  as 
well  a  young  Lord  Blankenship,  and  there  upon  his 
arm,  quite  clearly  cut,  was  a  curious  birthmark  not 
unlike  a  cluster  of  ripe  cherries." 

"  How  odd !  But  what  has  this  to  do  with  you  and 
your  brother  ? " 

"  I'm  coming  to  that.  This  Blankenship  grew  up 
to  manhood  and  in  time  became  lord  of  great  estates, 
and  his  son,  and  his  son's  son  bore  upon  them  this 
same  curious  mark.  The  cluster  now  began  to  be 
regarded  with  superstition,  and  was  embodied  in  their 
<;oat  of  arms.  The  fourth  generation  saw  four  sons 
without  this  cluster,  and  a  daughter  who  bore  it  with 
exceptional  distinctness.  So  deeply  had  the  awe  of  it 
gone  into  their  hearts  that  these  four  brothers  volun- 
tarily resigned  their  rights  to  her.  When  she  mar- 
ried her  husband  took  her  name,  and  their  eldest  son 
bore  the  mark,  upon  his  breast.  So  on,  through  gen- 
eration after  generation.  The  one  who  bore  the 
cluster  became  the  heir,  boy  or  girl,  eldest  or  young- 
est. Oddly  enough  in  no  single  generation  did  it  fail 
to  appear  upon  at  least  one  of  the  children." 

"  And  if  it  appeared  upon  more  than  one  ?  " 

"  The  preference  was  given  to  the  eldest  boy  who 
bore  it.  In  time  the  Blankenships  fell  from  their 
high  estate.  They  took  up  the  cause  of  Prince 


24      THE   SHELLEY S   OF.   GEORGIA 

Charlie,  and  their  lands  were  confiscated.  They  fled 
to  save  their  lives  and  came  to  America,  where  they 
waxed  rich  and  great.  With  them  they  carried  this 
dear  tradition  of  their  race.  So  only  those  of  us 
who  have  this  mark  upon  us  are  called  true  Blanken- 
ships.  The  others,  in  our  eyes,  might  better  never 
have  been  born." 

"  Then  you  have  it  ?  "  she  cried. 

"  Upon  my  arm,"  he  said.  "  My  brother  was  un- 
marked, and  he  stepped  aside  quite  willingly,  for  he 
was  imbued  with  the  same  awe  for  it  as  I.  See, 
here  it  is !  " 

He  slipped  his  left  arm  out  of  his  coat,  rolled  up 
his  shirt-sleeve,  and  showed  her,  above  his  elbow,  five 
small  round  crimson  spots,  and  one  elongated  fainter 
shape,  which,  to  the  imaginative  mind,  might  repre- 
sent a  leaf. 

"  Yes,"  she  said,  examining  it  curiously.  "  I  see 
the  resemblance.  It  is  a  very  odd  mark.  I  am  glad 
you  told  me  the  story.  But  was  your  brother  com- 
pletely disinherited  ? " 

"  My  father  left  it  to  me  to  do  what  was  right," 
said  Tom  grandly.  "  So  long  as  I  live,  my  brother 
shall  never  want." 

fl  That's  nice  of  you,"  beamed  Rose,  slipping  out  of 
his  reach.  "  I  shall  tell  my  father  the  whole  story, 
the  very  first  chance  I  get.  No,  stay  where  you  are," 
she  commanded,  as  he  started  from  his  seat.  "  Stay 


THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA      25 

right  where  you  are,  so  I  can  say  what  I  want  to  say 
without  being  at  all  embarrassed." 

He  laughed  at  her  pretty  air  of  authority,  and  re- 
mained on  the  bench  watching  her  with  gloating  eyes 
as  she  tripped  across  the  grass  and  up  the  Gallery 
steps.  At  their  top  she  turned.  "  At  seven,  at  the 
cross-roads,"  she  called  softly.  "  I'll  be  waiting  for 
you." 

Then  indeed  he  made  a  mad  rush  across  the  grass, 
too  late,  for  the  house  door  slammed  in  his  very  face 
and  she  was  gone,  leaving  behind  her  only  the  echo 
of  a  merry  laugh. 

He  shook  his  fist  impotently  at  the  sturdy  barrier 
between  them.  "Until  to-night,  then,"  he  mur- 
mured, and  a  smile  of  triumph  lit  up  his  face. 

He  had  turned  away  and  was  going  toward  the  gate, 
when  a  carriage  stopped  before  it  and  Madge  alighted, 
fagged  and  weary,  and  not  at  all  pleased  to  see  him 
there.  She  did  not  trouble  to  hide  her  dislike  of  him, 
and  ignored  the  hand  he  dared  to  offer  her. 

"Mr.  Blankenship,"  she  said  coldly.  "Why  do 
you  continue  to  disregard  my  husband's  wishes? 
How  could  you  come  here  in  his  absence  ?  " 

"  A  friendly  call,"  he  answered  lightly.  "  Surely 
there's  no  harm  in  that.  Mrs.  Shelley,  your  manner 
towards  me  lately  has  been  extremely  cutting.  Once 
it  was  not  so  cold  — " 

"  You  do  well  to  speak  of  that  time,"  she  cried  in- 


26      THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

dignantly.  "  I  was  a  girl  then,  as  Eose  is  now,  and 
as  susceptible  to  flattery  as  she.  Mr.  Blankenship,  I 
am  going  to  make  an  appeal  to  your  honor,  and  to  the 
best  that  is  in  you.  There  is  no  use  in  mincing  mat- 
ters. You  know  what  both  Captain  Gabe  and  I  have 
been  trying  to  show  you  by  our  aloofness.  You  are 
not  worthy  of  Eose,  and  you  ought  to  be  man  enough 
to  acknowledge  that,  and  to  leave  her  alone." 

Tom  laughed,  but  all  the  same  his  eyes  gleamed 
angrily.  "  You  say  I  am  not  worthy  of  her.  I  ad- 
mit that,  but  what  man  is  ?  She  is  a  princess,  and  I, 
her  humble  subject.  Surely  there  can  be  nothing  but 
good  in  worship  such  as  mine.  It  transcends  any 
feeling  I  have  ever  known  before,  and  is  as  far  above 
that  semblance  of  love  I  once  offered  you,  for  instance, 
as  the  stars  are  above  this  small  brown  earth  of  ours." 

If  he  had  thought  to  sting  her  so,  he  failed.  She 
made  a  scornful  gesture.  "  The  love  you  gave  me 
once  was  like  the  love  you  give  her  in  this,  that  it  was 
the  only  kind  of  which  such  men  as  you  are  capable. 
If  you  worship  Eose,  as  you  so  frankly  say,  then  that 
worship  is  an  insult  and  should  be  stamped  out.  I 
believe  I'd  rather  see  her  die  than  marry  you,  Tom 
Blankenship." 

"  Hard  words,"  exclaimed  Tom.  "  Let's  be  fair 
and  temperate.  What  do  you  know  of  me  that  causes 
you  to  judge  me  so  harshly  ?  Nothing  except  that 
your  own  beauty  could  not  keep  me  as  its  slave.  Was 
that  my  fault,  or  yours?  I'll  acknowledge  that  a 


THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA      27 

lovely  face  and  form  attract  me.  That's  Nature's 
own  law,  to  which  I,  a  man,  am  forced  to  be  obedient. 
But  behind  the  face  and  form  must  lie  a  loveliness  of 
soul  —  which,  pardon  me,  most  women  lack  —  or  else 
my  heart  proves  fickle.  I  see  it  there  in  Rose.  I  see 
in  her  my  own  soul's  salvation.  And  then  you  come 
to  me  with  your  contempt,  and  petty  jealousy  and 
spite,  and  ask  me  to  renounce  her,  as  if  you  thought 
one  such  request  sufficient.  I  tell  you  no  power  on 
earth  could  ever  make  me  give  her  up,  so  long  as  she 
loves  me  and  trusts  in  me." 

"  You  coward !  "  The  low  intensity  with  which 
Madge  spoke  the  commonplace  words  gave  them  new 
meaning,  and  his  face  turned  white. 

11 A  coward,  am  I  ? "  he  exclaimed  between  his 
teeth.  "  Well,  maybe  —  when  it  comes  to  facing 
such  as  you.  It  takes  a  rarer  courage  than  you  can 
comprehend,  to  see  the  heights  as  typified  by  Eose, 
and  to  dare  to  attain  them." 

"  Shame  on  you !  "  panted  Madge.  "  You  talk  of 
heights  to  which  you'll  climb  through  her  —  you 
whose  base  passions  long  to  drag  her  down  — " 

He  gave  a  low  angry  laugh.  "  If  you  were  a  man, 
I'd  say  that  such  sentiments  were  inspired  by  the 
character  of  the  mind  that  lies  behind  them.  We  are 
getting  nowhere  when  we  use  them." 

"  We  have  gotten  thus  far,"  she  retorted.  "  That 
we  are  open  enemies  now.  You  never  shall  win  Eose 
while  her  father  and  I  can  fight  against  you." 


28      THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

"  What  can  you  do  ?     What  are  your  weapons  ?  " 

"  We  can  take  her  away." 

"To  Atlanta?"  he  scoffed.  "She  speaks  with 
pride}  of  having  been  that  far  from  home.  Poor 
child!  You  and  that  father  of  hers  would  tie  her 
down  for  her  whole  life  to  Salem,  and  offer  her  At- 
lanta for  a  bait  when  her  restless  spirit  chafes  at  the 
narrow  confines  of  her  prison.  '  Oh,  the  peach 
crop ! '  you  exclaim.  '  It  needs  us  all.  We  cannot 
spare  you  now.  Later  on,  perhaps,  when  the  fruit 
has  ripened  and  been  gathered,  we'll  take  you  to  At- 
lanta.' And  Eose,  dear  girl,  has  dreamed  of  her  At- 
lanta, as  an  acolyte  might  dream  of  Heaven." 

His  mocking  tones  roused  all  the  fury  in  her. 
tl  Will  you  go,  before  I  call  the  servants  ?  "  she  cried. 
"  Will  you  go  before  I  lose  all  self-control,  and  tell 
you  just  how  low  you  stand  in  my  esteem  ?  " 

"  I  will,  gladly,  and  leave  you  the  last  word,"  he 
said.  "  Get  what  comfort  you  can  from  that,  for  the 
game  has  just  begun,  and  the  next  move  is  mine." 

There  was  something  so  confident  and  self-assured 
in  the  sneering  words  that  Madge  could  only  stand 
still  and  stare  at  his  retreating  figure.  What  did  he 
mean?  That  he  had  something  in  reserve  she  could 
not  doubt.  She  longed  for  Captain  Gabe,  un- 
consciously assuming  that  he  could  act  where  she  was 
helpless.  A  need  for  haste  possessed  her.  It 
seemed  to  her  that  this  triumphant  man  must  already 
have  set  in  motion  the  machinery  which  would  take 


THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA      29 

Rose  forever  out  of  their  reach.  In  this  her  woman's 
instinct  told  her  true.  And  into  her  need  of  haste,  of 
instant  action,  suddenly  the  face  of  her  father,  kindly 
old  Judge  Oglethorpe,  intruded.  Next  to  Captain 
Gabe  himself,  she  felt  that  he  was  able  to  advise  her. 

She  ran  over  to  the  gate,  impulsively  bent  upon  fol- 
lowing up  her  new  idea.  Then  she  stopped  dismayed. 
"  I  can't  go  to  my  father,  either,"  she  cried  aloud. 
"  He's  busy  at  the  court-house.  Is  there  any  one  else 
in  this  whole  town  who  could  advise  me  what  to 
do?" 

"  Try  me,"  suggested  a  pleasant  masculine  voice. 

11  Oh !  "  screamed  Madge,  startled  beyond  self-con- 
trol at  the  nearness  of  this  voice.  She  had  turned 
toward  the  house  again  in  her  hesitation,  and  so 
failed  to  see  the  man  who  had  come  so  quietly  up  to 
the  gate.  Now  she  whirled  to  confront  a  tall,  rather 
slender  fellow,  awkward  in  build  and  decidedly  plain. 
This  plainness  was  garnished  and  set  off  by  a  quantity 
of  freckles,  and  his  head,  which  he  had  uncovered,  was 
blazing  red.  Nevertheless  one  look  into  his  gray  eyes 
was  almost  enough  to  make  Madge  relax  and  smile  a 
greeting,  they  were  so  engaging  and  so  cheerful,  so 
downright  sure  of  her  friendliness  and  sympathy  and 
understanding. 

"  I  beg  pardon,"  she  murmured.  "  I  didn't  know 
any  one  was  there." 

"  So  I  realized,  the  moment  I  had  spoken,"  he  an- 
swered with  a  merry  twinkle.  "  But,  hearing  a 


30      THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

young  and  charming  lady  wondering  if  there  was  any 
one  in  this  town  who  could  advise  her,  and  knowing 
my  own  excellence  in  counsel,  and  finding  myself 
Johnny-on-the-spot,  so  to  speak,  I  ventured  to  offer 
my  services.  Try  them.  Warranted  wholesome  and 
easy  to  take.  Of  an  excellent  pattern  and  the  design 

—  merely  to  please  you." 

Again  Madge  hesitated,  plainly  uncertain  what 
answer  to  make  this  dapper  stranger.  He  was  so  at 
ease,  so  self-assured,  that  she  unconsciously  accepted 
him  at  his  own  valuation.  It  seemed  already  that  he 
was  an  old  friend,  and  so  long  as  she  looked  into  his 
honest  eyes  she  never  could  have  snubbed  him.  She 
might  even  confide  in  him,  against  her  better  judg- 
ment. 

She  glanced  away,  and  lo !  her  whole  conception  of 
him  changed.  Here  was  a  stranger,  presumptuous 
and  impudent,  daring  to  address  her  familiarly  whom 
He  had  never  seen  until  a  moment  before.  He  must 
be  taught  his  place.  Yet  in  order  to  teach  him  she 
found  it  necessary  to  keep  on  looking  away. 

"  I  do  not  know  you,"  she  said  coldly.  "  But  I  do 
know  that  you  have  taken  an  unwarrantable  liberty  in 
speaking  to  me  so.  I  must  ask  you  to  leave,  in- 
stantly." 

The  stranger  leaned  against  the  gate-post  and  be- 
gan to  fan  himself  with  his  hat.  "  But  I've  just 
come,"  he  complained.  tl  And  I'm  hot  and  tired  and 

—  why  shouldn't  I  say  it?  —  thirsty.     I  was  in- 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA      31 

formed  that  this  was  an  hospitable  country,  where  the 
ladies  were  always  gracious,  and  mint  juleps  so  thick 
you  couldn't  step  between  'em  —  or  after  'em  either, 
for  that  matter.  And  the  first  lady  I  meet  refuses 
my  offer  of  assistance,  asks  me  to  leave  before  I  have 
time  to  present  my  card  of  introduction,  and  I  haven't 
even  heard  a  julep  mentioned  since  I've  been  here. 
So  much  for  advice.  Take  mine,  and  don't  take  it. 
Which  may  sound  contradictory,  but  is  nevertheless 
true." 

Madge  drew  herself  up  proudly  and  turned  to 
annihilate  this  insolent  person  with  her  most  scorn- 
ful glance.  Unfortunately  her  eyes  encountered  his. 
Her  anger  vanished  and  to  her  intense  surprise  she 
found  herself  smiling  and  saying  frankly,  "  I  didn't 
know  you  had  a  card  of  introduction.  Why  didn't 
you  tell  me,  before  ?  " 

"  Haven't  had  a  chance,"  he  answered.  "  Now  I'll 
be  a  good  little  boy  and  speak  my  piece  nicely." 

He  drew  himself  up  straight,  put  both  feet  to- 
gether precisely  upon  the  walk,  and  asked  in  formal 
tones,  "  Is  this  the  residence  of  Captain  Gabriel  Shel- 
ley?" 

"  It  is,"  answered  Madge,  trying  to  maintain  her 
gravity. 

"  Is  the  Captain  at  home  ?  " 

"  He  is  not." 

"  Have  I  the  honor  of  addressing  his  daughter,  or 
his  wife  ? " 


32      THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

To  save  her  life  Madge  could  not  help  but  answer 
roguishly,  "  Guess  which." 

"  I  give  it  up,"  said  the  stranger  promptly,  pre- 
senting her  with  a  card  which  he  drew  from  his  breast- 
pocket 

She  took  it  from  his  outstretched  hand  and  read 
slowly,  aloud,  " ( Bucknam  and  Bates,  Wholesale 
Fruiterers  and  Produce- Venders,  introducing  Homer 
Fort.'  Oh ! "  she  exclaimed  with  quick  dismay. 
"Are  you  Mr.  Fort?  The  Captain  was  expecting 
you,  though  not  so  soon."  Her  thoughts  flew  back 
over  all  that  had  just  passed.  Had  she  said  or  done 
anything  to  offend  this  man?  Not  for  the  world 
would  she  hurt  her  husband's  chances  of  doing  busi- 
ness with  him. 

"  The  Captain's  letter  aroused  considerable  inter- 
est, you  see,"  he  explained.  "  His  partial  crop  this 
year  was  a  wonder,  an  eye-opener.  His  plan  to  form 
a  combine  of  the  peach-growers  in  this  vicinity,  so 
that  our  dealings  may  be  simplified  into  handling  one 
large  consignment  instead  of  half  a  hundred  small 
ones ;  his  personal  guarantee  that  only  those  growers 
shall  be  admitted  whose  peaches  are  of  like  quality  to 
his  own  —  well,  my  firm  decided  to  get  busy  right 
away,  before  some  other  company  got  the  chance. 
First  come,  first  served,  holds  good  with  Captain 
Shelley  as  well  as  with  other  peach-growers,  I  pre- 
sume?" 

"I  don't  know  about  that,"  commented  Madge, 


THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA      33 

pleasantly.  "  The  Captain  says  he'd  rather  make  a 
thousand  dollars  out  of  a  man  he  likes  than  a  million 
out  of  an  enemy." 

"  Then  he  has  got  to  like  me,  that's  all,"  grinned 
Homer  Fort. 

Madge  signified  that  he  was  to  enter  the  gate,  and 
he  was  quick  to  respond  to  her  invitation.  As  they 
walked  toward  the  house  he  looked  at  her  earnestly,  in 
a  way  she  would  have  resented  in  any  man  less  inno- 
cent of  wrong  intent  than  he.  Rose,  coming  out  upon 
the  porch  again  to  find  Madge,  surprised  them  thus 
and  hostility  immediately  bristled  in  her  manner. 
Madge  called  her  merrily. 

"  Come  here,  dear.  Let  me  introduce  Mr.  Fort. 
He  says  he  cannot  tell  whether  I  am  Captain  Shelley's 
wife  or  daughter.  Now,  Mr.  Fort,"  she  continued 
gaily  as  Rose  came  forward  reluctantly.  "  Here  we 
are,  his  wife  and  daughter.  Guess  again  and  tell  me 
which  is  which." 

Mr.  Fort  bowed  to  Eose  who  barely  acknowl- 
edged the  salutation.  He  was  about  to  speak  when 
she  turned  abruptly  to  Madge,  and  said  coldly,  "  The 
luncheon-bell  rang  a  long  time  ago.  Where  have  you 
been?" 

"  Mr.  Fort  comes  from  Bucknam  and  Bates,  dear," 
was  Madge's  apparently  irrelevant  response.  Rose 
knew  then  that  her  father's  interests  were  involved. 
It  was  best  to  be  cordial  to  this  stranger,  who,  after 
all,  would  be  with  them  but  a  little  while.  Her  sec- 


34      THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

ond  nod  of  recognition  was  distinctly  warmer  than 
her  first. 

"  I've  decided,"  suddenly  exclaimed  Mr.  Fort,  and 
pointing  triumphantly  at  Rose,  he  cried,  "  That's 
Mrs.  Shelley.  How  do  you  do,  ma'am  ?  "  Seizing 
her  hand  in  his,  he  gave  it  a  hearty  shake. 

"  How  dare  you  ?  "  cried  Rose,  snatching  it  away. 

Madge  laughed.  "  Why  do  you  think  she  is  Mrs. 
Shelley?  I'm  the  older." 

"  Well,"  said  Mr.  Fort,  ignoring  Rose  and  looking 
straight  into  Madge's  eyes.  "  You  are  the  more  ap- 
proachable. I  understand  that  the  Captain  is  well 
past  middle  age,  and  might  have  a  daughter  of  per- 
haps twenty-three  —  you  can't  be  more,  you  know. 
Don't  tell  me  so,  for  I  sha'n't  believe  it. —  And  he'd 
choose  a  schoolgirl  for  a  wife,  of  course.  The  older 
men  are,  the  younger  they  like  'em." 

"Oh!"  gasped  Rose,  outraged  at  being  dubbed 
schoolgirlish.  Her  antagonism  toward  this  man  rose 
to  fever  heat.  She  would  show  him  that  very  night 
whether  she  was  a  schoolgirl  or  not.  And  all  of  a 
sudden  a  tiny  regret  curled  upward  through  the  fire 
of  her  thoughts.  She  could  almost  wish  she  were  not 
going  quite  so  soon,  if,  by  remaining,  she  could  teach 
this  man  a  lesson. 

"  I  am  Miss  Shelley,"  she  now  announced  with 
frigid  distinctness.  "  And  the  lady  you  are  pleased 
to  consider  so  approachable  is  my  stepmother.  She 


THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA      35 

was  married  to  my  father  four  years  ago  —  when  she 
was  twenty-five." 

That  was  really  too  bad  of  Kose.  She  shouldn't 
have  said  it,  and  the  moment  it  was  out  she  regretted 
it.  But  she  did  not  let  either  of  them  see  that,  hurry- 
ing ahead  of  them  into  the  house,  with  her  nose  in  the 
air. 

"  Phew !  "  whistled  Homer  Fort.  "  That  was  the 
worst  frost  I've  ever  gotten  in  my  life,  Mrs.  Shelley. 
No  wonder  the  weather  feels  chilly  down  this  way.  I 
hate  to  accuse  her,  but  I  do  believe  she  told  a  fib  about 
your  age." 

Madge  forced  herself  to  smile  at  his  words,  though 
Eose  had  hurt  her  deeply.  "  I  do  hope  Captain  Gabe 
will  soon  be  home,"  she  said.  "  You  will  lunch  with 
us,  of  course." 

"  If  I  won't  be  in  the  way,"  hesitated  Mr.  Fort. 

"  Oh,  no,"  she  assured  him.  "  I  shall  be  glad  to 
have  you  stay  until  the  Captain  returns.  Unless  you 
have  something  else  to  take  up  your  time  — " 

"  Not  a  thing,"  he  answered  heartily.  "  And  per- 
haps you  will  let  me  give  you  that  advice  of  which  you 
stand  so  much  in  need." 

She  faced  him  a  trifle  defiantly.  "  What  advice 
could  you  give  me  that  would  fit  in  with  my  unspoken 
needs  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  Only  this.  It  is  my  creed.  '  Don't  worry. 
Keep  on  smiling,  and  something  always  will  turn  up.' 


86     THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

Say,"  he  continued,  with  a  sidelong  glance.  "  Sup- 
pose I  take  it  myself.  Do  you  think  I  could  persuade 
her  to  thaw  out  a  little.  I  never  saw  a  prettier  girl 
in  all  my  life,  Mrs.  Shelley.  She's  a  peach,  she  is, — 
a  regular  Georgia  Peach." 

Madge  laughed  at  this,  and  so,  laughing  intimately 
together,  they  went  in  to  meet  Rose's  accusing  eyes. 


CHAPTER  ni 

AFTER  luncheon  Rose,  still  frigid,  went  to  her 
room,  to  pack  up  a  few  necessaries  in  a 
hand-bag,  which  was  all  the  luggage  she  in- 
tended carrying,  and  to  write  a  tender  letter  to  her 
father,  begging  his  understanding  and  forgiveness. 
Madge  also  excused  herself,  for  she  was  tired  from 
her  long  night  with  Aunt  Betty,  and  from  the  morn- 
ing's journey  ings,  and  she  suffered  increasing  alarm 
as  time  passed  and  still  nothing  had  been  done  to 
thwart  the  plans  which  she  felt  sure  were  being  per- 
fected by  Tom  Blankenship.  Homer's  advice  did 
help  her.  She  strove  to  keep  cheerful,  and  to  believe 
that  something  must  turn  up. 

Homer  himself  wandered  about  the  Captain's  or- 
chards, which  were  among  the  largest  he  had  ever 
seen.  He  was  enthused  over  the  thought  of  the  won- 
derful harvest  which  the  trees  would  yield  next  year, 
through  the  vigilance  of  Captain  Gabe.  Here  was 
achievement  which  he  could  applaud.  The  acts  of 
men  thrilled  him  always. 

He  had  heard  much  about  Captain  Shelley  since  he 
had  come  to  Georgia.  Gabe  was  not  only  a  pioneer 
in  the  peach  industry  there,  but  he  seemed  to  be  fore- 
most in  everything  that  worked  for  the  betterment  of 
37 


38      THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

his  town  and  county.  He  "had  a  finger  in  every 
business  enterprise  in  Salem,  and  a  toe  in  every 
mix-up  in  the  State,"  as  one  of  his  satellites  once 
aptly  said.  Another,  at  the  time  of  his  marriage,  had 
"  allowed  that  Cap'n  Gabe's  bride  wuz  a-marryin' 
a'most  every  notable  man  in  Bucks  County."  This 
was  too  good  a  joke  to  keep,  and  went  the  rounds  to 
the  Captain's  great  delight.  He  loved  to  refer  to  it 
slyly  even  now.  When  Madge  kissed  him  he  often 
asked  her  for  which  one  of  him  the  caress  was  meant, 
and  it  gave  him  the  utmost  pleasure  if  she  pretended 
to  consider  seriously,  and  decided  that  this  time  it  had 
been  the  editor,  or  the  farmer,  but  never  the  poli- 
tician, because  she  hated  politics.  They  "  weren't 
nice." 

Some  of  this  Homer  knew  now,  and  some  of  it  he 
was  to  learn  later  on,  but  all  musing  on  the  interest- 
ing personality  he  was  soon  to  meet,  was  secondary  to 
the  thought  of  Captain  Gabe's  beautiful  daughter. 
Homer  was  not  easily  stirred.  He  had  met  many 
types  of  women,  and,  in  spite  of  the  disillusion  inevit- 
able for  a  man  on  the  road,  he  had  retained  a  heart  as 
pure  and  shy  as  a  girl's.  In  it  he  had  enshrined  an 
ideal  which  as  yet  no  woman  he  had  ever  seen  could 
touch.  Rose  was  lovelier  in  face  and  form  than  his 
vision  of  this  ideal.  So  he  determined  to  know  her 
better,  and  as  his  determinations  usually  bore  fruit, 
the  budding  of  this  one  might  have  alarmed  the  girl, 
had  she  known  of  it  and  been  less  sure  that  fate  was 


THE   SHELLEY S    OF    GEORGIA      39 

soon  to  take  her  out  of  his  way  forever.  He  had  been 
amused  by  her  unconcealed  hostility  and  dislike,  see- 
ing that  she  had  thought  him  and  Madge  too  intimate ; 
and  had  resented  it  for  her  father's  sake.  He  set  her 
attitude  down  to  girlishness,  not  to  be  considered  seri- 
ously for  a  moment.  All  the  same  he  found  it  stimu- 
lating, for  in  spite  of  his  homely  face  and  freckles 
and  red  hair,  he  had  never  before  met  a  woman  who 
really  disliked  him. 

At  last  his  inspection  of  the  orchards  was  over,  and 
he  slowly  approached  the  house,  pausing  now  and 
then  to  admire  its  quaint  air  of  hospitality,  which  the 
nodding  roses  seemed  to  emphasize.  As  he  looked, 
Rose  came  out  upon  the  porch,  and,  seeing  him,  beck- 
oned him  to  come  to  her.  He  smiled  at  the  manner 
of  her  invitation,  and  at  first  was  minded  not  to  go. 
But,  on  second  thoughts,  deciding  that  this  girl  was 
worthy  some  concession,  he  walked  toward  her. 

"  I've  been  looking  at  the  trees,"  he  informed  her 
seriously.  "  They  are  in  wonderful  condition.  I 
am  not  surprised  any  longer  at  the  kind  of  peaches 
shipped  to  us  this  fall." 

He  perceived  that  this  subject  met  with  instant 
favor,  for  her  eyes  kindled. 

"  My  father  is  always  so  thorough  in  anything  he 
does,"  she  explained  with  pride,  "that  we  know  it 
will  be  a  success  before  he  begins  it." 

But  even  as  she  spoke  her  lips  trembled,  and  her 
eyes  filled  with  tears.  She  was  thinking  that  for  the 


40     THE   SHELLEYS   OR   GEORGIA 

first  time  in  her  short  life  she  had  set  herself  deliber- 
ately against  this  dear  father,  and  was  soon  to  bring 
one  of  his  most  heartfelt  wishes  all  to  naught.  Then 
anger  at  her  self-betrayal  before  this  stranger  flushed 
her  cheeks.  She  turned  away  for  a  moment,  and 
when  she  looked  at  him  again  her  eyes  were  dry  and 
bright. 

"  Perhaps  you  would  like  to  walk  to  town  with  me, 
Mr.  Fort,"  she  said.  "  I  am  going  for  the  mail,  and 
I  have  an  errand  for  my  father,  also." 

He  hesitated.  Although  her  words  were  cordial, 
her  manner  was  perfunctory.  It  was  evident  to  him 
that  she  was  performing  what  she  considered  a  dis- 
agreeable duty,  rather  than  a  pleasure,  a  mere  cour- 
tesy to  a  stranger  who  must  be  entertained.  Was  this 
because  of  the  sudden  birth  of  friendship  between 
himself  and  Mrs.  Shelley,  or  was  it  because  of  some 
vital  preoccupation  of  the  mind  of  the  girl  herself? 
She  appeared  to  be  laboring  under  repressed  excite- 
ment, and  her  breakdown  of  a  moment  ago  made  the 
latter  supposition  seem  the  more  likely.  Again  he 
was  tempted  to  refuse,  and  again  he  reconsidered, 
falling  into  step  beside  her  with  a  formal  thank-you 
for  her  invitation. 

"  Is  this  a  typical  Southern  town  ?  "  asked  Homer, 
in  an  endeavor  to  lighten  the  atmosphere  between 
them.  "  I  am  most  anxious  to  see  a  typical  Southern 
town,  and  a  typical  Southern  man  as  well.  Is  your 
father  this  last?" 


THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA      41 

Rose  considered.  "  Hardly.  My  father  is  full  of 
life  and  vim,  always  doing  something,  or  thinking  up 
something  to  do.  I  might  call  him  the  typical  South- 
ern-man-of-the-future,  and  not  be  far  wrong." 

"  I  like  that,"  said  Homer,  smiling.  "  You  think, 
then,  that  the  South  is  progressing  ? " 

"  Most  assuredly.  After  the  Civil  War  there  was 
a  period  when  it  degenerated.  Used  to  issuing  com- 
mands, overseeing,  living  well  but  lazily,  its  men 
shrank  from  putting  their  shoulders  to  the  wheel, 
which  ceased  to  spin,  and  for  a  while  turned  back- 
ward. My  father  was  one  of  the  first  in  this  neigh- 
borhood, to  get  down  to  actual  physical  labor.  He 
has  often  told  me  how  he  went  out  among  the  negroes, 
and  did  everything  he  wanted  them  to  do,  so  that  they 
might  learn  of  him,  and,  following  his  example,  do 
more  and  better  work  than  they  had  been  used  to 
when  there  were  usually  too  many  of  them." 

As  she  spoke  they  turned  into  the  main  street  of  the 
town.  It  was  irregular  and  dusty,  lined  with  small 
crooked  houses,  interspersed  here  and  there  with 
larger,  newer  buildings.  The  court-house,  which  had 
once  been  imposing,  was  over-shadowed  now  by  the 
city  post-office,  wherein  the  men  of  the  younger  gener- 
ation had  their  offices  for  practising  law,  medicine, 
and  what  not.  Further  down  the  street  she  pointed 
out  her  father's  newspaper  office,  a  ramshackle  build- 
ing of  the  older  type,  which  she  said  he  was  soon  to  re- 
place with  a  gorgeous  brick  affair,  on  which  the  name 


42      THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

of  the  newspaper,  The  Weekly  Budget,  was  to  be 
blazoned  ten  feet  high.  Homer  entered  the  post- 
office  with  her,  amused  that  such  a  small  portion  of 
the  place  should  be  relegated  to  the  purpose  for  which 
the  whole  structure  was  named.  Later  on,  she  told 
him,  Salem  expected  to  have  mail-carriers,  and  then 
the  whole  lower  floor  would  be  taken  for  the  one  use  to 
which  the  building  was  supposed  to  be  devoted. 

She  mailed  some  letters  and  a  package,  taking  her 
time  while  Homer  watched.  The  postman  handed 
her  out  so  many  different-sized  envelopes  that  Homer 
begged  the  honor  of  carrying  them  for  her.  As  they 
quarreled  merrily  over  who  should  take  possession 
of  the  mail,  a  young  man  entered,  at  sight  of  whom 
Rose  changed  so  suddenly  that  Homer  wondered. 
From  merriment  she  passed  to  tense  silence.  Her 
cheeks  flushed  and  her  eyes  grew  starry.  Her  red 
lips  parted  and  took  on  a  dewy  tint,  while  into  her 
manner  crept  an  odd  and  wistful  appeal.  She  gave 
the  man  her  hand,  and  then  stammered  his  name  to 
Fort,  calling  him  Mr.  Blankenship,  and,  a  second 
later,  Tom.  The  two  men  then  shook  hands,  and 
Fort  and  Eose  passed  on  into  the  street. 

That  was  all  there  was  to  the  incident,  yet  Homer 
found  himself  most  painfully  impressed.  The  under- 
current of  the  girl's  excitement  had  become  more 
clear  to  him.  It  was  in  some  way  ascribable  to  this 
Blankenship,  and  though  he  was  yet  but  a  mere  ac- 
quaintance of  the  Shelleys,  he  felt  indignation  rising 


THE    SHELLEYS    OF   GEORGIA      43 

within  him  that  any  one  of  this  type  could  so  stir 
her  as  she  seemed  now  to  be  stirred.  "  She  either 
loves  him  already,  or  is  on  the  verge  of  it,"  decided 
Homer.  "  Does  he  love  her  ?  I  wonder." 

They  went  together  to  the  newspaper  office,  where 
Rose  delivered  some  papers,  containing  articles  for 
publication,  and  then  she  undertook  to  show  him 
about  the  town.  It  was  so  evident  that  she  meant  to 
keep  him  with  her  until  her  father  returned,  that 
Homer  now  inclined  to  his  first  supposition,  and  fan- 
cied her  intention  merely  to  keep  himself  and  Mrs. 
Shelley  apart.  He  was  too  much  amused  to  be  indig- 
nant, and  too  much  interested  in  the  girl  herself  to 
mind  her  reasons  for  entertaining  him.  As  they 
sauntered  through  some  quiet,  shady  street,  he  found 
himself  delighted  with  the  quaintness  of  the  houses 
she  pointed  out,  and  with  the  hints  of  the  characters 
of  their  inmates  which  her  talk  conveyed.  When 
they  came  out  upon  some  more  modern  thorough- 
fare, he  was  quick  to  note  the  slight  contempt  which 
crept  into  her  tones  as  she  spoke  of  these  newly  rich 
folk,  many  of  them  but  lately  come  to  Salem.  It  was 
clear  that,  in  spite  of  her  boast  of  progress,  and  her 
pride  in  the  growth  of  the  town,  she  was  aristocrat 
enough  to  cling  to  her  old  families,  and  to  bar  these 
intruders  out.  Yet,  when  she  spoke  of  her  training 
as  a  nurse,  it  was  evident  that  she  had  many  friend- 
ships with  girls  far  beneath  her  in  social  standing, 
girls  to  whom  she  must  have  seemed  like  a  being  from 


44     THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

another  world,  and  whom  her  kindness  must  have 
often  helped. 

"  She  is  a  creature  of  impulses  and  contradictions," 
summed  up  Homer.  "  Vivid  and  emotional,  yet  not 
in  the  least  degree  shallow  or  fickle.  Capable  of 
great  things  if  but  given  half  a  chance." 

And  again  he  thought  of  Mr.  Blankenship.  Was 
this  the  man  to  whom  the  molding  of  her  flexible 
character  was  to  be  given  ?  Was  he  the  sort  to  shape 
it  well,  or  ill  ? 

In  the  meantime  Madge  slept  peacefully,  her 
troubles  all  forgotten.  The  servants,  their  work  in 
the  kitchen  finished  until  time  for  dinner,  congregated 
on  the  back  porch  and  indulged  in  low-voiced  badin- 
age. There  was  Janey,  the  housemaid,  and  Margaret 
the  cook,  a  couple  of  negro  lads,  and  Uncle  Jack. 
The  last-named  was  holding  forth  at  great  length  upon 
his  favorite  subject  of  religion. 

"  G'long  wid  you,"  Janey  interrupted  at  last,  with 
contempt  in  her  voice.  "  You-all  purten's  to  know 
all  o'  Gawd's  business.  Pity  you  couldn'  'ten'  to  some 
o'  yo'  own.  Didn'  I  done  hyah  Cap'n  Gabe  tell  you 
to  rake  up  dat  lawn  dis  mawnin'  ?  When  he  gits 
back  an'  sees  it  still  covahed  wid  leabs,  I  reckon  you- 
all'll  wish  't  you'd  done  whut  he  tol'  you.  Dat's 
whut!" 

"  I  clar  to  gracious,  I  done  f ergot  all  'bout  dat  ar 
lawn,"  muttered  Uncle  Jack,  and,  followed  by  a 
chorus  of  laughter  and  sly  quips  at  his  expense,  he 


THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA      45 

went  slowly  around  the  house,  picked  up  a  rake  which 
leaned  against  a  tree,  and  was  soon  absorbed  in  his 
labors. 

While  he  worked  the  shadows  lengthened.  The 
sun  turned  sickly  with  the  cold,  and  hastened  west- 
ward. A  promise  of  frost  leaped  into  the  air,  and  a 
sharp  wind  sprang  suddenly  into  being,  making  Uncle 
Jack  shiver  and  complain  to  himself.  He  had  not 
completed  his  task,  however,  when  he  spied  a  buggy 
in  the  distance,  and  knew  it  for  his  master's. 

"  Looky  yondah !  "  he  exclaimed  to  himself,  run- 
ning to  open  the  gate.  "  Gawd  a'mighty !  Who 
am  dat  ar  in  de  buggy  wid  Cap'n  Gabe?  Doan't 
look  lak  none  o'  his  folks.  Bet  dey's  froze  stiff,  any- 
how." 

As  he  stood  holding  the  gate  and  talking  to  him- 
self, Captain  Gabe  urged  his  tired  horse  down  the 
road  and  into  the  driveway,  pulling  up  in  fine  style 
at  the  Gallery  steps,  and  waking  Madge  up-stairs. 

"Hullo,  Unc'  Jack,"  he  cried.  "Quick  now, 
catch  this  bag!  Put  it  down  anywhere!  You've 
got  to  take  the  baby!  Can  you  hold  him  without 
dropping  him?  You'd  better,  you  black  rascal! 
Now  then,  Minnie,  jump!  I'll  catch  you.  Quick! 
Ah,  Madge?  Been  asleep?  Come  see  what  I've 
brought  home  with  me.  But  first  give  me  a  kiss. 
That's  it !  How  is  my  girl,  anyway  ?  " 

So  talking,  Captain  Gabe  alighted,  after  flinging 
an  enormous  carpet-bag  straight  at  Uncle  Jack's 


46     THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

astonished  head.  He  then  burdened  the  negro  with 
a  small  bundle  inside  of  which  something  squirmed 
and  protested  vigorously,  literally  snatched  his  com- 
panion out  of  the  buggy,  gave  Madge,  who  had  come 
out  and  down  the  steps,  a  smacking  kiss  and  a  bear- 
like  hug,  and  all  with  the  utmost  good-nature.  Now 
he  paused  for  a  space  in  his  activities,  that  Madge 
might  see  and  make  the  acquaintance  of  the  person 
who  defiantly  confronted  them. 

She  was  a  young  and  pretty  woman,  scarcely  more 
than  a  girl,  in  fact.  She  was  deathly  white,  her 
pallor  accentuated  by  her  dark-rimmed  sorrowful 
eyes.  Her  lips  were  stretched  in  a  rigid  smile, 
which  reminded  Madge  by  its  gameness  of  some  lit- 
tle street  urchin's,  beaten  in  a  fight,  yet  refusing  to 
acknowledge  his  defeat.  Her  hands  were  coarsened 
by  hard  work,  and  her  slight  figure  was  already  stoop- 
ing in  pitiful  imitation  of  old  age.  But  her  hat 
was  gay  with  scarlet  flowers,  and  her  gown,  though 
of  calico,  was  gaudy,  and  desperately  attempted  style. 
Her  feet  were  shod  in  slippers  much  trodden  down  at 
heel.  Cheap  gloves  she  carried  carefully,  evidently 
believing  that  they  added  to  her  appearance,  but  not 
liking  to  wear  them  out.  In  her  whole  shoddy  at- 
tempt at  elegance,  Madge  saw  real  pathos,  and  when 
Gabe  introduced  them,  she  tendered  her  kindest  greet- 
ing. 

"Madge,  this  young  lady  is  Minnie  Gray.  You 
remember  Corporal  Gray,  don't  you?  My  old  war 


THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA      4,1 

comrade?  This  is  his  daughter,  Madge.  And  this 
is  her  baby.  I've  brought  them  both  to  you  because 
they  are  in  trouble,  and  need  our  help." 

"  My  dear,  I'm  glad  to  know  you,"  said  Madge 
warmly.  "  You  must  be  tired  and  cold." 

"  No'm,"  answered  Minnie  quickly,  still  watchful 
and  defiant.  "  I  had  Maw's  shawl.  I  took  it  off 
when  we  turned  into  the  gyarden,  'cause  it  don't  look 
noways  smart,  but  it  kep'  us  warm,  li'l  Tawm  an'  I. 
Maw,  she  giv  it  to  me  just  befo'  she  went  to  the  hors- 
pittal,  an'  she  says  to  me,  she  says,  '  whut's  good 
enough  fo'  yo'  maw,  an'  yo'  grandmaw  befo'  her,  is 
good  enough  fo'  you,  I  reckon,  an'  if  anybody  tries  to 
shame  you  out  of  wearin'  of  it,  hoi'  yo'  haid  high  an' 
flaunt  it  in  their  faces.'  An'  so  I  aim  to  do." 

"  Why,  of  course/'  Madge  was  bewildered  by  the 
rapidity  of  the  words  and  the  manner  of  their  utter- 
ance, as  well  as  by  the  contradictory  fact  that  Minnie, 
though  she  flaunted  the  shawl  in  her  speech,  had  yet 
been  ashamed  to  wear  it.  But  before  she  could  de- 
cide what  to  say  next,  Minnie  responded  to  the  muf- 
fled cries  of  her  baby,  still  in  the  arms  of  Uncle 
Jack. 

"  Mammy's  sugar  lump !  "  she  cried,  transformed 
by  the  tenderest  of  mother  love,  as  she  snatched  it 
fiercely  from  his  grasp.  "  Did  he  want  to  come  to 
his  mammy,  then?  Thar  now!  Don't  you  cry. 
Mammy's  got  her  baby.  It's  all  right,  honey. 
Thar!  Thar!" 


48      THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

The  baby  subsided  into  complacency  upon  his 
mother's  shoulder,  and,  sticking  one  fat  fist  into  a 
mouth  much  too  small,  yet  which  he  had  determined 
to  distend  sufficiently  to  accommodate  its  occupant, 
he  looked  placidly  up  at  Madge,  who  surrendered  at 
once  to  his  charm. 

"  You  darling !  "  she  exclaimed.  "  You  perfect 
darling ! " 

Minnie  melted.  Not  so  at  home  had  people  spoken 
of  her  small  son.  Her  eyes  filled,  and  impulsively 
she  held  out  the  child  to  Madge. 

"Hyah!  You-all  can  take  him  if  you  want. 
He's  dreadful  heavy  for  his  size,  and  that  smart  — 
why,  you  wouldn't  believe  how  smart  that  young-un 
is !  He  knows  me  —  thar !  What'd  I  tell  you  ?  " 

As  the  child  wailed  again  at  touch  of  unfamiliar 
arms,  his  mother  recaptured  him  and  strained  him 
to  her  breast.  In  spite  of  the  gaudy  hat  and  gaudier 
dress,  she  was  a  picture  not  to  be  lightly  forgotten. 
Rose,  coming  up  the  road  with  Homer,  and  hastening 
ahead  of  him  to  greet  her  father,  first  caught  a 
glimpse  of  Minnie  thus. 

"Rose,"  called  Captain  Gabe.  "This  is  Minnie 
Gray,  and  her  baby.  Take  them  in  and  make  them 
comfortable.  Give  your  old  daddy  a  kiss,  first." 
Drawing  her  aside  he  whispered  in  her  ear.  She 
nodded  ready  comprehension,  and  went  straight  to 
Minnie. 

"  Come,"  she  said  tenderly.     "  May  I  carry  the 


THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA      49 

baby  ?  No  ?  All  right,  then.  Mind  the  step  there. 
What  a  dear  he  is  1  " 

By  this  time  Uncle  Jack  had  recovered  from  hold- 
ing a  "white-folk's  baby."  "So  'long,  boss,"  he 
murmured,  and  led  away  the  horse. 

Captain  Gabe  and  Madge  stood  side  by  side  watch- 
ing Rose,  as  she  guided  the  mother  and  baby  into  the 
house.  Homer  watched,  too,  from  a  distance,  more 
than  ever  admiring  the  lovely  girl  in  her  new  role 
of  ministering  angel.  Then,  judging  from  the  way 
Gabe  turned  to  his  wife,  that  he  had  something  to 
talk  over  with  her  privately,  he  turned  and  entered 
the  orchard,  unobserved  by  either  of  the  two. 

On  his  way  he  stopped  to  tell  Uncle  Jack  where  he 
could  be  found  when  wanted,  and  finding  that  indi- 
vidual disposed  to  gossip,  learned  considerable  of  the 
Shelleys  and  their  ways,  which  predisposed  him  still 
further  towards  them. 

Meanwhile,  Gabe  settled  his  stalwart  length 
along  the  steps,  and  drew  his  wife  down  beside  him. 
She  smiled  at  his  boyishness  which  she  loved  the 
more  because  it  went  so  oddly  with  his  gray  hair. 

"  You  have  something  to  tell  me,  Gabe.  Go 
ahead." 

"  Only  this,  dear.  Since  Gray  died,  two  years 
ago,  Minnie  and  her  mother  have  lived  alone  on 
their  farm  in  the  hills.  And  some  one  took  advan- 
tage of  their  loneliness  to  wrong  the  girl.  She  will 
not  tell  me  who  that  some  one  was,  but  I  found  out 


50      THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

enough  about  him  to  be  pretty  certain  in  my  own 
mind." 

"Who  was  it,  Gabe?" 

"  Tom  Blankenship." 

"  Gabe !  Now  I  know  whom  that  baby  looks 
like!" 

"  It  is  his  baby,"  answered  Gabe,  putting  his  hand 
to  his  chin  in  a  way  he  had  when  he  was  much  con- 
cerned. "But  Minnie  doesn't  know  I  discovered 
that.  She  is  the  most  faithful  little  soul!  Think 
of  it,  Madge  —  no  older  than  our  Rose,  and  already 
the  discarded  plaything  of  a  brute  who  calls  himself 
a  man !  But  I  must  speak  of  this  to  no  one  but  you, 
Madge.  I  have  no  proofs.  The  baby's  resemblance 
to  Tom,  and  the  description  of  her  betrayer  which  the 
neighbors  gave  me  from  their  year-old  memory  — 
that's  all  I  have  to  go  upon.  Too  bad  I  didn't  learn 
about  this  sooner.  I  feel  somehow  as  if  I  were  to 
blame.  I  ought  to  have  been  a  better  friend  to  Cor- 
poral Gray.  Talking  all  the  time  about  our  days  to- 
gether in  the  war,  and  letting  him  slip  out  of  my  ken 
completely!  I  ought  to  have  been  there  when  he 
died,  and  to  have  taken  charge  of  Minnie  then." 

"  I  can't  have  you  blame  yourself,"  cried  Madge. 
"  How  did  you  find  out  about  her  now  ?  " 

"Trouble  is,"  complained  Gabe,  "that  once  a 
family  gets  into  the  hills,  it's  like  looking  for  a 
needle  in  a  haystack  to  track  them  out.  I've  been 
right  up  by  Gray's  farm  scores  of  times.  But  there ! 


THE   SHELLEYS    OF   GEORGIA      51 

It's  no  use  talking  now.  Minnie's  mother  has  been 
sick  for  a  long  time,  and  the  doctor  up  there,  a  first- 
rate  chap,  finally  persuaded  her  to  go  to  Atlanta  for 
an  operation.  She  got  along  fine,  but  won't  be  home 
for  a  couple  of  months  yet  —  slow  recovery  —  case 
far  advanced  —  all  that.  The  doctor  thought  it  a 
shame  for  Minnie  to  be  so  alone.  There  wasn't  a 
woman  up  there  would  speak  to  her.  One  day  Mrs. 
Gray  mentioned  me  as  having  been  her  husband's 
friend,  so  he  finally  sent  down  for  me.  I  was  cer- 
tainly glad  he  did.  I  felt  so  sorry  for  the  poor  little 
girl  when  I  saw  her,  that  I  didn't  know  what  to  do. 
She  was  like  a  wild  animal,  frightened  to  death,  but 
facing  me  all  the  same.  She's  never  had  a  chance  in 
all  her  life.  Let's  give  her  one,  if  we  can,  Madge." 

"  We  will,"  was  his  wife's  hearty  answer.  "  May 
I  tell  Rose  of  this?" 

"  I  don't  believe  I  would,"  mused  Gabe.  "  If  she 
asked  how  I  found  it  out,  being  my  daughter,  she 
would  pounce  on  all  the  weak  points  in  my  evidence. 
She  is  as  loyal  in  her  way  as  Minnie.  Has  she  seen 
him,  to-day  ? "  It  was  not  necessary  to  name  the 
"him." 

Madge  nodded.  "  What's  more,  she  told  me  that 
they  are  engaged." 

"  That's  bad  news,"  sighed  Gabe. 

"  He  dared  to  come  here,  even.  I  met  him.  He 
was  mocking,  insulting,  everything  that's  horrid. 
And  someway  I  felt  that  he  had  mischief  in  his  mind. 


52      THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

Do  let  me  tell  her,  Gabe.  Then  if  she  disbelieves 
me, —  well,  at  least  I'll  have  done  all  I  could." 

"  All  you  could  to  send  her  right  into  his  arms," 
said  Gabe.  "  ]SFo.  If  we  could  get  Minnie  herself 
to  identify  him,  honestly  I  doubt  if  Rose  would  take 
her  word  even  then  if  he  denied  it.  That's  just  how 
much  she  thinks  she  loves  him.  She  doesn't  really 
love  him,  you  know.  JsTot  a  bit  of  it.  But  so  long 
as  she  thinks  so,  she'll  act  as  if  she  does,  and  her  acts 
will  live  on  long  after  her  illusion  has  ceased  — 
more's  the  pity.  Don't  let  Eose  out  of  your  sight,  my 
dear.  And  don't  worry.  Something  is  bound  to 
turn  up." 

This  repetition  of  Homer  Fort's  advice  made 
Madge  smile.  "  I  forgot,"  she  said.  "  A  Mr.  Fort 
has  come  from  Bucknam  and  Bates,  to  have  a  talk 
with  you  about  your  peach-growers'  combine." 

"  Is  that  so  ? "  Gabe  was  surprised.  "  They  must 
have  been  interested  indeed  to  send  him  down  so 
soon." 

"  Yes,  so  he  says.  By  the  way,  Gabe,  Eose  was 
suspicious." 

"  Suspicious  ?    What  d'ye  mean  ? " 

"  She  thought  I  was  too  friendly  toward  Mr. 
Fort." 

"  Pshaw !  "  chuckled  the  Captain,  who  knew  of  his 
daughter's  watchful  attitude,  and  thought  it  quite  a 
joke.  "  Did  she  make  you  stand  around  ?  If  you 
could  take  care  of  her  half  as  well  as  she  takes  care 


THE   SHELLEYS    OF   GEORGIA      53 

of  you,  my  dear,  Tom  Blankenship  couldn't  get  a  look 
at  her  sidewise,  eh  ?  " 

"  It  is  an  insult  to  her  for  him  to  even  speak 
to  her,"  asserted  Madge  hotly.  "  He  ought  to  be  in 
jail  this  minute,  for  the  way  he  has  treated  this  poor 
girl!" 

"If  you  women  made  the  laws,  I'd  feel  down- 
right sorry  for  men  like  Tom,"  drawled  the  Captain. 
"  Still,  even  if  you  tarred  and  feathered  him  and 
rode  him  on  a  rail,  I  don't  know  that  I  should  inter- 
fere. But  so  long  as  we  men  have  the  say-so,  Tom's 
hide  is  safe,  and  girls  like  Minnie  haven't  got  a 
show.  I  wish  I  could  put  all  that  into  my  editorial 
for  this  week's  paper,  Madge.  It'll  be  about  the 
war,  of  course,  but  I'll  bet  you  I'll  find  a  chance  to 
rile  Tom  a  little  in  it  somewhere.  I'll  get  him  on 
his  politics,  on  his  office  of  tax  assessor  —  I'll  think 
up  something.  If  he  resents  it,  let  him  come  across. 
He'll  find  me  waiting  for  him,  Madge,  and  able  to 
protect  my  daughter.  Now  I'll  go  meet  this  Mr. 
Fort." 


CHAPTER  IV 

ROSE  led  Minnie  and  her  baby  into  the  first- 
floor    bedroom,    a    pleasant    and    spacious 
chamber,  of  a  comfort  and  luxury  such  as 
the  mountain  girl  had  never  seen  before.     Captain 
Gabe  had  whispered  to  Eose  merely  that  Minnie  had 
been  wronged  by  an  unscrupulous  man  and  needed  all 
her  love  and  pity,  and  the  generous-hearted  girl  had 
responded  ardently  to  his  appeal. 

She  found  Minnie  difficult  and  requiring  patience 
and  stratagem  to  melt,  for  the  latter  was  quick-witted 
enough  to  see  the  difference  between  herself  and 
Rose,  and  her  defiant  manner  returned.  She  an- 
swered "  Yes'm,"  and  "  No'm,"  to  all  of  Rose's  talk, 
and  hugged  the  child  to  her  bosom  as  though  contact 
with  its  warm  body  comforted  the  aching  heart 
within.  Rose  persuaded  her  to  sit  down,  to  take  off 
the  monstrous  hat,  and  at  last  to  yield  the  baby,  that 
she  might  remove  its  wraps ;  but  through  it  all  Min- 
nie glared,  and  sat  upon  the  extreme  edge  of  her 
rocker,  straight  as  a  ramrod,  implying  that  the  ac- 
ceptance of  a  seat  had  committed  her  to  nothing. 
So  Rose  turned  her  attention  to  the  mite  in  her 
arms,  and  caressed  and  cooed  over  it,  hoping  thus  to 
reach  its  mother. 

54 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA      55 

This  wholesale  possession  of  her  baby,  that  treas- 
ure which  she  had  hitherto  been  forced  to  hide, 
roused  Minnie,  and  for  his  sake  she  disposed  herself 
a  bit  more  comfortably,  saying,  "  I  reckon  I'd  better 
take  him  now.  Ain't  you  tired  ?  " 

"  Not  a  bit,"  said  Eose.  "  But  it  isn't  good  for 
him  to  be  held  too  much.  There.  Now  he  is  all 
undone.  Suppose  we  lay  him  on  the  bed  —  so. 
We  mustn't  yield  to  temptation  and  spoil  him,  must 
we,  bouncer  ?  Now  Minnie  —  I  shall  call  you  that 
because  Father  said  I  might  —  I  am  going  to  make 
you,  literally  make  you,  let  me  brush  your  hair.  I 
just  love  to  brush  people's  hair,"  she  confided,  as  Min- 
nie reluctantly  transferred  herself  to  the  chair  at  the 
dressing  table.  "  And  you  have  so  much  and  such 
a  lovely  color  —  like  ripe  corn.  You  won't  mind  if 
I  try  it  in  a  different  way,  will  you  ?  I  saw  such  a 
pretty  style  the  other  day,  that  I  know  would  just 
suit  your  face." 

Girl-like,  Kose,  already  determined  to  do  all  she 
could  to  comfort  this  poor  woman,  started  in  upon 
her  hair.  Her  swift  fingers  undid  the  tight  knot 
into  which  it  had  been  twisted.  Minnie  uncon- 
sciously relaxed  as  she  watched  the  lovely  sympa- 
thetic face  reflected  above  her  own  in  the  glass. 
"  Yours  is  right  pretty,  and  I  like  the  way  you  fix 
it,"  she  drawled. 

"  Oh,  do  you  ?  That's  nice  of  you,"  replied  Eose, 
with  a  smile.  "  It's  a  very  easy  way.  I'll  show  you 


56      THE    SHELLEYS   OF    GEORGIA 

how.  Did  you  ever  hear  that  blue  was  your 
color?" 

"Aw,  now,"  blushed  Minnie,  who  had  thought 
anything  her  color.  "  This  hyar  pink  dress  kind  o' 
sets  me  off,  don't  you  think  ? " 

The  wistful  appeal  which  crept  into  her  voice 
spurred  Rose  to  fibs.  "  It  is  becoming,"  she  said 
warmly.  "  But  blue  is  your  color,  all  the  same. 
After  I  finish  with  your  hair,  you  must  let  me  get  out 
a  lovely  blue  kimono  that  I  have." 

"  What's  a  kimono  ?  "  asked  Minnie. 

"  A  wrapper,"  explained  Rose  gently.  "  A  loose 
dress,  to  slip  on  when  you're  tired." 

"  Oh,  a  wrapper !  "  said  Minnie,  her  interest  van- 
ishing. "  I've  got  a  wrapper  to  home.  It's  yaller, 
with  li'l  red  berries  in  it  —  I  don't  wear  it  on'y 
whilst  I  warshes  the  dishes  of  mawnin's." 

"  There,"  said  Rose,  putting  a  few  finishing 
touches  to  the  pretty  coil  which  her  deft  hands  had 
fashioned.  "  How  do  you  like  that  ?  " 

"  It's  kind  o'  nice,"  admitted  Minnie  cautiously, 
still  non-committal.  "  Purty  loose.  Up  my  ways 
they  wears  their  hair  reel  smooth  an'  tight.  I  allus 
have  wore  mine  tight,  too.  Seems  neater,  somehow. 
But  this  looks  right  peart.  I  reckon  I'll  leave  it  stay 
that-a-way  for  a  bit." 

"  It  makes  your  face  so  lovely,"  said  Rose  pleas- 
antly, thereby  advancing  quite  a  distance  in  Minnie's 
estimation.  For  in  all  her  short  life  there  had  been 


THE    SHELLEYS    OF   GEORGIA      57 

only  one  to  tell  her  she  was  lovely,  and  that  one  a  man 
belonging  to  the  same  world  as  these  new  friends. 
The  starved  heart  opened  just  a  little,  and  the  sad 
eyes  brightened.  In  the  meantime  Rose  hurried  to 
her  own  room,  and  soon  returned  with  an  armful  of 
blue  silk,  lace,  and  ribbons,  caught  up  with  pink  rose- 
buds here  and  there. 

Amazement  approaching  awe  dawned  on  Minnie's 
face  as  she  took  the  lace  between  her  thumb  and  fore- 
finger. "  Is  that  a  wrapper  ?  "  she  asked  in  hushed 
tones. 

"We  call  it  a  kimono,"  laughed  Rose.  "It  is 
rather  fancy.  That  lace  is  the  petticoat,  which  shows 
when  the  kimono  falls  apart.  These  rosebuds  fasten 
it  together  —  so." 

"  Lawsy !  "  sighed  Minnie.  "  I  ain't  surprised 
that  you  call  it  suthin'  'sides  plain  wrapper.  You 
don't  warsh  dishes  in  that  kind  o'  thing,  do  you  2  " 

"  No,  dear,  I  don't.  In  fact  I  don't  do  any  of  the 
housework.  I  haven't  been  home  very  long  from 
school." 

"  You  don't  say.  You  must  'a'  been  kind  o' 
stoopid,"  marveled  Minnie,  submitting  to  having  her 
dress  unbuttoned.  "  I  finished  school  when  I  wuz 
twelve.  The  teacher  said  I  was  that  smart  there 
wa'n't  nawthin'  else  as  he  could  learn  me." 

"  This  was  a  school  to  study  nursing,"  said  Rose. 
"  If  I  had  gone  to  college  I  wouldn't  have  been 
through  yet.  I  chose  nursing  instead." 


58      THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

"  Ain't  it  funny  that  folks  have  to  learn  to  nuss  ?  " 
asked  Minnie.  "  Naow  up  to  home,  any  of  us  kin 
nuss  an'  do  it  all  right.  On'y  Doc  Green,  he  'lowed 
Maw  needed  special  kind  o'  nussin'.  It  took  him  a 
hull  year  to  git  Maw  to  consent  to  bein'  cut  up.  She 
couldn't  see  as  how  it  could  benefit  her  any  to  have 
part  of  her  insides  tooken  out.  The  Lord  give  'em 
to  her,  she  says,  an'  he  must  'a'  knowed  what  he  wuz 
a-doin'.  'Twan't  noway  reasonable  to  suppose  he  had 
made  a  mistake  in  the  proper  disposition  of  'em. 
But  she  got  so  bad  hyar  lately  that  I  got  plumb  scairt, 
I  did,  an'  I  says  to  her,  says  I,  '  Maw  1  Lis'n  naow ! 
You  better  take  Doc  Green's  advice.  Mebbe  that's 
why  they  is  doctors.  The  Lord  puts  in  our  organs  all 
right  in  the  fust  place/  I  says,  'but  livin'  like  we 
do  an'  all,  workin'  so  hard  an'  all,  mebbe  we  get  'em 
kind  o'  wore  out  like,  an'  so  the  Lord  sends  doctors 
to  mend  'em.'  Well,  that  struck  her  as  good  com- 
mon-sense, an'  nn'lly  she  give  her  consent.  That's 
huccome  she  went  to  Atlanta,  an'  got  op'rated  on. 
Doc,  he  wuz  mos'  afraid  it  wuz  too  late,  an'  tol'  me 
to  prepare  myse'f  —  but  Maw,  she  done  fine.  He 
says  she's  as  peart  as  a  kitten,  a'ready." 

While  Minnie  talked,  in  tones  so  naturally  musical 
that  her  grammar  sounded  quaint  instead  of  awk- 
ward, Eose  removed  the  staring  calico  and  replaced  it 
with  the  lace  skirt  and  the  soft  blue  silken  garment. 
Xow  the  last  rosebud  was  fastened,  and  with  a  little 
cry  of  pleasure  she  stood  back  for  a  survey  of  Minnie. 


THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA      59 

"  Look  at  yourself,"  she  cried.  "  Just  look  at 
yourself ! "  She  pushed  Minnie  in  front  of  the 
cheval-glass  in  the  corner  of  the  room. 

Minnie  shrank  at  first  from  the  vision  which  met 
her  eyes.  She  could  not  believe  that  this  was  she. 
Instead  of  the  stooped  and  weary  woman,  whom  she 
had  seen  in  sections  in  her  small  cracked  mirror  at 
home,  a  slender,  drooping  form  confronted  her,  all  at 
once,  with  soft  brown  eyes  shaded  by  masses  of  wav- 
ing hair.  She  was  lovely.  She  knew  that  she  was 
lovely.  And  after  her  first  astonished  gasp  she  stood 
still,  staring,  staring,  as  though  she  could  never 
stop. 

It  was  so  Madge  found  her,  when  she  came  in  at 
last,  and  her  cry  of  surprise  and  delight  helped  to 
make  Minnie  morn  awake  to  what  Rose  had  accom- 
plished. Defiance  returned.  She  faced  them  both 
haughtily. 

"  Thar !  "  she  said,  tearing  at  the  rosebuds  in  a 
fury  of  haste.  "  You've  made  a  monkey  outen  me 
long  enough,  I  reckon.  Take  back  your  finery.  I 
don't  want  it.  I'd  ruther  have  my  own  clothes,  poor 
as  they  be.  Needn't  think  I'm  goin'  to  cringe  an' 
crawl.  I'm  a  lady  —  that  is  I  wuz  a  lady  oncet  — 
and  the  poor  creature  sank  down  upon  the  bed  beside 
her  baby,  and  burst  into  passionate  tears. 

"  Dear  Minnie,"  cried  Madge.  "  Don't  you  un- 
derstand ?  Rose  and  I  don't  want  to  patronize  you, 
or  to  do  anything  but  help  you.  We  know  some- 


60      THE    SHELLEYS   OF    GEORGIA 

thing  of  your  sorrow  and  suffering,  but  see  —  we  do 
not  think  it  has  disgraced  you.  We  know  that  you 
were  young  and  ignorant,  and  that  you  really  meant 
no  harm  —  you  had  no  chance  against  the  man  who 
wronged  you." 

"  Don't  you  dast  say  one  word  agin  him/'  panted 
Minnie  through  her  tears.  "  I  love  him  —  to  my 
dyin'  day  I'll  love  him.  It  wuz  all  my  own  fault  — 
I  jus'  lay  myse'f  out  to  please  him  —  an'  he  promised 
to  marry  me,  he  did.  An'  he  will  come  back  yet  —  I 
know  he  will.  He  'ain't  seen  the  baby.  But  if  I  can 
find  him  an'  show  him  li'l  Tawm,  he'll  marry  me 
right  off  —  I  know  he  will." 

"  Bless  your  loyal  little  heart,  I  am  glad  you  be- 
lieve that,"  said  Madge.  "  We  won't  say  anything 
to  disturb  your  faith  in  him,  ever.  All  the  same  we 
want  to  help  you  —  to  help  you  fit  yourself  for  his 
world,  Minnie,  You'll  let  us  do  that,  surely." 

"  How  do  you  mean  ?  "  asked  Minnie. 

"  Wasn't  he  a  gentleman,  and  didn't  he  ever  tell 
you  of  anything  different  from  your  life  in  the 
hills?" 

"  Oh,  yes.  But  it  all  sounded  like  a  dream,"  said 
the  girl  wistfully.  "Do  you  reckon  I  could  ever 
grow  to  be  like  you  ?  " 

"  Why,  of  course  you  can,"  cried  Madge.  "  There 
now,  that  is  settled.  You  are  to  stay  with  us  until 
your  mother  is  quite  well,  and  we'll  teach  you  every- 
thing that  will  please  him.  Won't  we,  Rose  ?  " 


THE   SHELLEYS    OF   GEORGIA      61 

Madge  had  been  stooping  over  Minnie's  prostrate 
figure,  and  now  she  turned,  expecting  to  receive  con- 
firmation from  the  girl.  Instead  she  saw  what  she 
was  never  to  forget  —  what  froze  her  into  silence 
until  Minnie,  roused  to  curiosity  by  the  cessation  of 
all  sound  in  the  room,  stirred,  lifted  herself,  looked  : 
too,  and  then  cried  out  in  wonder. 

"Why,  Miss  Rose!  What's  the  matter  with 
Tawm  that  you  look  at  him  like  that?  What's  the 
matter  with  my  li'l  Tawm  ?  " 

Rose  had  left  Madge  to  comfort  Minnie  and  had 
gone  over  to  that  side  of  the  bed  where  the  baby  lay. 
He  was  awake  and  quite  content  upon  the  unaccus- 
tomed softness  of  the  pillow.  His  fist  again  dis- 
torted his  mouth,  and  his  small  legs  waved  aimlessly 
to  and  fro.  His  coarse  dress  impeded  his  movements 
so  that  Rose  lifted  it  to  give  him  greater  freedom. 
She  found  his  limbs  quite  bare  and  admired  the  pink 
toes  and  dimpled  knees  to  her  heart's  content.  Then 
suddenly  she  noticed  a  mark  on  the  calf  of  his  leg, 
and,  stooping  to  get  a  clearer  view,  she  stood  trans- 
fixed. For  the  mark  consisted  of  five  small  round 
crimson  spots,  and  a  fainter  elongated  shape,  and 
differed  in  no  respect  from  the  one  she  had  examined 
with  such  interest  upon  the  arm  of  her  lover,  scarcely 
five  hours  before. 

During  those  short  moments  that  she  stood  staring 
at  the  mark,  she  told  herself  that  it  meant  nothing. 
This  was  mere  coincidence,  this  likeness  to  the 


62      THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

Blankenship  cluster  of  ripe  cherries.  And  yet  she 
continued  to  stand  staring,  holding  the  baby's  leg  in 
a  vise-like  grip  from  which  it  struggled  vainly  to  be 
free.  It  seemed  to  her  years  that  she  stood  so,  until 
Minnie's  astonished  cry  broke  in  upon  the  coma  that 
possessed  her,  and  her  heart  began  to  throb  painfully 
in  her  breast. 

"  Nothing,"  she  forced  herself  to  answer. 
"  Nothing  is  the  matter  with  your  baby,  Minnie.  I 
must  see  my  father.  I  think  I  had  better  see  my 
father."  * 

"  I'll  come  with  you,  Eose,"  cried  Madge.  "  For- 
give me,"  she  said  hurriedly  in  an  undertone  to  Min- 
nie. "  But  Rose  looks  very  strange.  Perhaps  she's 
ill.  I'd  better  see  what's  wrong.  Rest  now,  and 
later  we'll  return." 

She  overtook  Rose  in  the  hall.  The  girl's  hurry 
had  deserted  her  and  she  was  leaning  against  the 
wall,  looking  deathlike  in  her  unaccustomed  pallor. 
At  the  moment  she  was  conscious  of  nothing  but  the 
awful  beating  of  her  heart,  and  that  somewhere  near 
lurked  a  horror  that  sooner  or  later  she  must  nerve 
herself  to  face.  Madge's  coming  was  welcome  to  her. 
She  clung  to  her  stepmother,  and  whispered  hur- 
riedly, "  Madge,  tell  me !  How  can  I  find  out  who 
is  the  father  of  that  baby  ?  I've  got  to  know." 

"  Why,  Rose !  What  ails  you  that  you  talk  like 
this?" 

"  I've  got  to  know,  I  tell  you.     Is  there  any  way  I 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA      63 

can  find  out  ?  Madge,  is  there  any  way  ?  "  repeated 
Eose  in  the  same  hurried  breathless  fashion. 

"Minnie  won't  tell,"  parried  Madge.  "Your 
father  feels  quite  sure,  but  he  has  no  proof." 

"  Who  does  he  think  it  is  ?  " 

"  I  promised  not  to  tell  you  —  yet.  We  were  to 
wait  for  surer  knowledge  first." 

"Then  I  know.  You  needn't  wait,"  said  Rose. 
"The  proof  is  there  for  all  of  you  to  see.  He  is 
Tom's  baby." 

"  I  did  not  think  the  resemblance  so  strong  as 
that,"  cried  Madge.  "  The  baby  looks  like  him,  yes. 
But  then  he  is  only  a  baby.  Babies  can  look  like 
almost  anybody.  Don't  stare  so,  Eose." 

"  It  wasn't  the  resemblance,"  said  Eose.  "  But 
only  this  morning  Tom  was  showing  me  the  birth- 
mark on  his  arm.  The  baby  has  that  same  mark 
upon  his  leg.  That's  how  I  know.  And  to  think 
that  I  had  promised  to  marry  Tom.  Why,  a  mo- 
ment ago  I  loved  him,  oh,  so  dearly ! .  Now  I  believe 
that  love  is  dead.  I  feel  so  strange.  My  heart  has 
stopped  its  beating  and  is  numb  and  like  lead  in  my 
breast.  I  never  knew  that  sorrow  could  make  one 
suffer  so,"  she  mused  wonderingly.  "  I  never  knew 
that  sorrow  was  physical  pain.  Oh,  Madge,  help  me 
bear  it!  I  have  got  to  bear  it  well  for  —  let  me 
whisper  this  —  I  was  to  have  gone  away  with  him 
to-night  —  in  two  more  hours  I  would  have  started 
to  meet  him  at  the  cross-roads.  Now  —  well,  I've 


64      THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

changed  my  mind.  But  I've  got  to  be  brave  because 
—  oh,  Madge,  only  this  morning  I  was  speaking  to 
him  of  the  suffering  in  the  world  and  how  I  longed 
to  help  —  and  this  poor  girl,  and  her  little,  darling 
baby  —  it  is  for  them  I  must  be  brave,  Madge.  For 
their  sake  I  must  try  to  think  out  what  is  best  to  do. 
Let's  go  find  Father." 

The  impetuous  girl,  as  she  talked,  had  actually 
risen  to  such  heights  of  self-control  that  for  the  mo- 
ment she  seemed  inspired.  Noble  in  her  forgetful- 
ness  of  self,  she  roused  in  Madge  a  similar  nobility. 
Her  eyes  glowed  with  a  strange  fire,  and  the  color 
again  flooded  her  cheeks,  while  everything  she  said 
and  did  seemed  to  come  from  a  power  within  before 
which  Madge,  and,  later,  Captain  Gabe,  were  to  stand 
in  awe.  Under  its  influence  Madge  yielded  her 
hand  to  Rose,  and  the  latter  led  her  hurriedly  out  to 
the  Gallery. 

Captain  Gabe  and  Homer  Fort  were  just  coming 
up  the  steps  to  enter  the  house.  Already  the  two 
were  friends.  Gabe  was  talking,  in  that  sociable 
way  of  his  which  always  delighted  those  with  whom 
he  favored  it.  "Yes,"  he  was  saying.  "Uncle 
Jack  is  like  a  bad  dictionary  —  his  meanings  are  so 
often  obscure.  I  love  to  get  him  on  the  subject  of 
religion.  There  he  entangles  himself  like  a  fly  in  a 
saucer  of  molasses.  We'll  get  him  to  talking  some- 
time. Ah,  Madge,  is  supper  ready  ? " 

"  Not  quite,"  said  Madge.     "  Rose  wants  you  for 


THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA      65 

a  moment.  Mr.  Fort,  I  haven't  the  slightest  doubt 
that  the  Captain  has  taken  bodily  possession  of  you, 
that  Uncle  Jack  is  already  on  the  way  to  the  hotel  for 
your  bags,  and  that  you  are  scheduled  to  spend  the 
remainder  of  your  stay  in  Salem  with  us.  The  room 
at  the  head  of  the  stairs  is  yours." 

"  I  see  you  are  a  lady  of  circumspection,"  laughed 
Homer.  "  And  though  you  are  too  polite  to  call  at- 
tention to  the  dirt  on  my  hands,  which  got  there  in  a 
worthy  cause,  I  will  avail  myself  of  this  chance  to 
remove  it."  So  saying,  Homer,  who  saw  at  once 
that  something  was  much  amiss,  took  his  dismissal 
gracefully,  and  entered  the  door. 

"  Well,  Kose,"  said  Gabe  kindly.  "  I  see  you  are 
all  up  in  the  air  about  something.  Tell  your  old 
daddy  the  trouble,  and  perhaps  he  can  help  you." 

"  Father,"  returned  Kose  frankly.  "  I  know  who 
Minnie's  betrayer  is.  I  found  out  myself  from  a 
mark  on  the  baby's  leg." 

"Hm!"  was  Gabe's  comment.  "Aren't  you 
rather  quick  at  conclusions  ?  " 

"  Don't  evade  me,  Father." 

"  I'm  not  trying  to  evade  you,  my  dear.  I  know 
well  enough  who  the  fellow  is.  But  I  want  you  to  be 
positive  before  I  speak  his  name.  Is  the  mark  on 
the  baby  sufficient  proof  to  you  ? " 

"  It  is  such  a  peculiar  mark  that  it  is  sufficient. 
Since  Tom's  brother  went  away  five  years  ago,  he  is 
the  only  one  of  his  line  left  here  in  Georgia.  I  see 


66      THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

no  way  of  escape  for  him.  So  that  is  settled. 
Father  — "  she  paused. 

"  Go  on." 

"  I  was  to  meet  Tom  to-night  at  seven.  Don't  ask 
me  why.  I  cannot  bear  to  tell  you.  Madge  knows, 
and  later  on,  when  you  have  had  time  to  forget  all 
my  folly,  you  will  be  able  to  laugh  when  she  tells  you 
this  crowning  piece.  Father,  I  want  to  make  Tom 
see  his  fault,  and  mend  it.  He  shall  marry  this 
girl." 

"  But  the  mark  on  the  baby,  Eose  ?  " 

"  It  is  like  a  cluster  of  ripe  cherries.  Tom  has 
it  on  his  arm.  His  brother  did  not  have  it.  So  his 
brother  went  away  and  Tom  inherited  the  estates. 
Tom  calls  it  the  mark  of  a  '  true  Blankenship,'  and 
says  it  has  been  in  the  family  for  generations.  He 
wouldn't  come  near  Minnie  or  the  baby  if  he  knew 
they  were  here,  but  if  he  can  once  be  gotten  to  look  at 
the  child,  and  to  recognize  it  for  a  true  Blankenship, 
it  will  influence  him  powerfully.  And  if  I  can  make 
him  see  the  disgracefulness  of  his  act,  perhaps  I  can 
bring  him  to  do  what  is  right.  Minnie  loves  him, 
Father.  Her  only  thought  is  for  him.  Won't  you 
and  Madge  let  me  do  as  I  like  about  this  ?  If  you 
will,  then  I  can  forget  my  own  sorrow  in  planning  to 
lighten  hers.  If  I  fail,  well  at  least  I  will  have  done 
no  harm.  I  won't  let  Minnie  know  that  Tom  is  here, 
unless  success  seems  sure.  I  won't  let  her  face  him 
herself.  He  would  only  hurt  her  cruelly  now. 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA      67 

When  he  is  ripe  for  such  an  interview,  when  she  is 
changed  so  that  he  can  be  proud  of  her,  then  perhaps 
I  can  bring  them  together,  and  in  doing  so,  find  hap- 
piness myself." 

During  the  whole  of  this  rapid  speech,  Gabe  looked 
at  his  daughter  as  though  at  a  stranger.  And,  in- 
deed, there  was  something  so  peculiar  in  the  manner 
of  the  girl,  in  her  glowing  eyes  and  fiery  utterance, 
that  it  was  difficult  to  realize  that  this  impassioned 
woman  was  his  little  Rose.  When  she  had  finished 
she  stood  with  wide-flung  arms,  demanding,  rather 
than  asking,  his  consent. 

He  spoke  thoughtfully,  with  his  hand  caressing  his 
chin.  "  Well  now,  Eose,  there  is  something  in  what 
you  say.  Tom  is  a  woman's  man  —  always  has  been 
—  and  if  he  ever  gets  his  come-uppance,  it'll  be 
through  a  woman.  And  yet  —  you  are  just  a  girl, 
Eose,  and  so  impulsive  that  you  are  liable  to  make 
mistakes.  Tell  me  your  plan.  Let  me  decide  if  it 
is  wise." 

She  dropped  her  arms  to  her  sides  with  a  gesture 
of  despair.  "  I  can't  talk  it  over,"  she  cried.  "  If 
I  do,  the  inspiration  for  it  will  slip  from  me.  I 
have  got  to  act,  not  argue.  Trust  me,  Father." 

"  But,  Eose,  if  in  your  haste  you  compromise  your- 
self—" 

"  What  does  it  matter  what  happens  to  me  now  ? 
All  I  want  is  to  bring  this  man  to  his  senses.  I  still 
love  him  that  much  —  that  I  want  him  to  make 


68      THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

amends.  I  love  Minnie  that  much  —  that  I  want 
her  to  have  a  chance,  and  to  give  the  baby  a  better 
start  in  life.  The  baby,  Father  —  his  dear  little 
hands  and  dimpled  feet  —  they  are  so  lovely  —  it 
isn't  fair  that  through  no  fault  of  his  he  should  be 
branded  as  an  outcast  all  his  life.  For  the  baby's 
sake,  Father,  let  me  do  what  I  can  to  open  Tom's 
eyes." 

"  But  why  not  tell  me  of  your  plan  ? " 

"  I  cannot.  You'd  forbid  it.  You  wouldn't  un- 
derstand. All  I  want  you  to  do  is  to  let  Uncle  Jack 
go  to  the  cross-roads  with  a  note.  I  must  see  Tom 
here,  to-night." 

"  My  darling,  Tom  is  not  over-scrupulous  — " 

"  He  is  with  women  of  my  class,"  said  Rose  bit- 
terly.. "  We've  talked  enough.  Give  me  my  way  in 
this,  Father,  and  I  promise  you  to  keep  my  head  — 
to  do  nothing  unnecessary  to  the  development  of  my 
plan,  which  has  an  object  that  surely  you  approve." 

"All  right,  my  girl,"  said  Gabe.  "After  all, 
there  is  no  way  to  learn  like  actual  experience. 
Fight  your  own  battles,  and  do  it  in  your  own  way. 
Jack  shall  go  with  the  note.  Madge  will  stay  at  the 
house,  within  call.  Her  presence  here  will  lend  our 
countenance  to  your  plan,  and  both  of  us,  ignorant 
of  it  though  we  are,  will  help  you  all  we  can." 

Rose  thanked  him  only  by  a  grateful  look  and 
passed  rapidly  into  the  house. 

"  What  do  you  suppose  she  means  to  do  ? "  whis- 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA      69 

pered  Madge.  "  Gabe,  are  you  sure  you  are  acting 
wisely,  to  let  her  have  her  way  ? " 

"  I  am  sure  of  this  much,  Madge, —  that  if  I  am 
driving  a  fine  horse  I  give  the  animal  its  head  all  I 
dare,  and  in  the  end  it  wins  the  race.  If  I  tried  to 
coerce  Rose  I'd  only  spoil  her.  She  is  young  and 
she  is  untried.  She  doesn't  know  half  the  time  what 
she  is  talking  about.  Her  soul  is  full  of  vague  stir- 
rings of  which  she  is  just  beginning  to  be  conscious. 
She'll  make  mistakes.  She's  bound  to.  But  she'll 
profit  by  them.  So  let's  stand  aside,  unless  it  is  ab- 
solutely necessary  to  interfere.  I'm  not  afraid  of 
the  outcome,  nor  of  having  her  misjudged." 

"  Mr.  Fort  called  her  a  regular  Georgia  Peach," 
said  Madge. 

"  Mr.  Fort  is  a  man  after  my  own  heart,"  replied 
Gabe,  gravely.  "  That's  just  what  she  is.  And 
when  she  ripens  at  last,  my  dear,  she'll  be  the  most 
wonderful  thing  God  ever  made  —  a  true  woman. 
So  let  the  sun  shine  on  her,  Madge,  and  the  wind  and 
the  rain  beat  upon  her.  There's  nothing  can  harm 
her  save  the  frost  and  the  blight  —  and  there's  where 
we  have  our  job  cut  out  for  us.  We've  got  to  stand 
pat  and  keep  on  the  watch  for  the  frost  and  the 
blight." 


CHAPTER  V 

AFTER  dinner  Gabe  and  Homer  Eort  with- 
drew to  the  study,  a  small  room  opening  off 
the  dining-room,  and  dedicated  to  the  Cap- 
tain's literary  work  when  he  was  home.  They  shut 
the  door,  lighted  cigars,  and  were  soon  deep  in  a  dis- 
cussion of  the  project  in  which  Gabe  had  succeeded 
in  interesting  Bucknam  and  Bates. 

Gabe  had  not  written  to  the  Chicago  firm  until  he 
was  certain  of  his  ground.  He  had  a  list  of  men 
whose  peaches  were  of  excellent  variety,  and  who 
were  eager  to  enter  the  combine.  He  had  lists  as 
well  of  the  probable  yield  of  their  orchards,  the 
facilities  they  had  for  handling  the  fruit  when  ripe, 
and  the  manner  in  which  it  would  be  packed  for  ship- 
ment. He  had  also  seen  the  general  manager  of 
the  railroad  which  passed  through  the  county,  con- 
necting with  the  Chicago  expresses  at  Atlanta.  He 
had  succeeded  in  getting  remarkably  advantageous 
rates.  As  he  had  the  whole  matter  at  his  tongue's 
end,  Homer  let  him  talk,  and,  leaning  back  in  his 
comfortable  chair,  watched  the  strong  face  of  his 
new  friend,  and  listened  with  growing  respect  and 
admiration. 

But  although  the  study  was  so  peaceful,  through 
70 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA      71 

the  remainder  of  the  house  there  dominated  a  spirit 
of  restlessness  and  haste.  Minnie  was  persuaded  to 
occupy  an  up-stairs  chamber,  and  to  let  Eose  take 
charge  of  "  li'l  Tawm"  for  his  bath.  The  bath 
alone  was  sufficient  to  rouse  protests  in  the  breast 
of  his  mother,  who  had  heretofore  washed  him  off 
with  a  rag  dipped  into  a  basin  of  cold  spring  water, 
and  regarded  any  other  means  of  attaining  cleanliness 
with  suspicion.  However,  Madge,  who  deserved 
credit  for  obeying  Eose  without  knowing  why,  quite 
won  her  over  by  producing  a  number  of  tiny  gar- 
ments, which,  she  explained  softly,  had  been  intended 
for  her  own  little  one,  who  died  soon  after  its  birth. 
Her  deep  sorrow  over  her  loss,  which  even  Minnie's 
untutored  heart  could  understand,  and  her  willing- 
ness to  give  the  unused  clothes  to  the  "  li'l  Tawm," 
brought  the  two  together  as  nothing  else  could  have 
done. 

Eose  kept  the  baby  in  the  first-floor  bedroom. 
She  was  still  under  the  influence  of  that  strange 
something  which  had  taken  possession  of  her  very 
soul,  and  every  act  or  gesture  betrayed  the  intense 
excitement  under  which  she  labored.  Yet  she  in- 
dulged in  not  one  single  abortive  movement,  for  she 
had  been  given  the  training  which  above  all  others 
makes  for  efficiency.  Quietly  she  got  ready  the 
baby's  bath. 

Janey  was  now  ordered  to  bring  in  hot  water 
from  the  kitchen,  to  keep  the  fire  blazing  to  remove 


72      THE   SHELLEYS    OF   GEORGIA 

all  chill  from  the  room,  and  to  air  the  tiny  garments 
that  were  to  clothe  his  sturdy  limbs.  When  all  was 
in  readiness,  Rose,  with  the  baby  in  her  arms,  took 
her  seat  in  the  low  chair  before  the  fire.  On  one 
side  stood  a  screen  to  defend  him  from  all  drafts. 
In  front  of  her  a  low  stool  held  the  largest  porcelain 
basin  in  the  house.  A  piece  of  flannel  lined  it,  that 
its  rim  might  not  chill  the  child  when  it  came  time 
for  his  dip.  On  her  other  side  a  chair  held  soap 
and  towels,  powder,  vaseline,  needle,  thread,  scissors, 
and  on  its  back  the  dainty  clothes,  now  warming  in 
the  glow.  All  these  it  took  to  make  one  small  boy 
clean. 

It  was  not  yet  time  for  Tom,  so  Rose  spent  long 
moments  in  unfastening  the  coarse  dress,  made  of 
flour-sacking,  the  coarser  petticoat,  and  shirt  cut 
from  a  discarded  adult  garment,  which  had  marked 
the  tiny  body  with  its  hardened  seams.  She  touched 
the  ridged  flesh  pityingly,  soaped,  and  at  last  dipped 
the  little  form  into  the  tepid  water  of  the  bath.  The 
accompanying  gasp,  which  "  li'l  Tawm "  removed 
his  fist  to  accomplish,  stirred  her  into  more  than 
perfunctory  interest.  By  avoiding  the  mark  upon 
his  chubby  limb,  she  almost  succeeded  in  forgetting 
that  it  was  there.  And  so,  when  the  bell  rang  at 
last,  she  was  flushed  and  smiling,  oblivious  of  all  she 
had  at  stake  in  the  immediate  pleasure  of  caring  for 
the  child. 

Uncle  Jack  was  in  the  stable,  so  Janey  answered 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA      73 

the  door.  She  returned  at  once,  eager  with  excite- 
ment, and  handed  Eose  a  card.  She  knew  enough 
of  current  gossip  to  be  curious. 

Eose  merely  glanced  at  it.  "  Tell  him  to  come 
here.  I  cannot  leave  the  baby,  and  you,  Janey, 
need  not  return  until  I  send  for  you." 

When  Tom  Blankenship  stepped  softly  into  the 
room,  at  first  he  thought  it  empty.  The  big  white 
bed  filled  up  one  corner,  the  dressing  table  another, 
the  cheval-glass  yet  another.  Across  the  fireplace 
was  drawn  a  screen. 

"  What  in  the  devil  — "  he  was  beginning  to  him- 
self, when  from  behind  the  screen  he  heard  Eose 
saying  softly,  "  Tom,  come  here." 

He  strode  forward  and  set  the  screen  aside. 
"What  does  this  mean?"  he  cried,  and  stood 
amazed. 

Eose  had  now  lifted  the  child  again  to  a  heavy 
towel  spread  across  her  lap.  She  was  drying  its 
body  with  soft  linen,  and  as  he  stared,  she  began 
to  coo  to  it  in  the  way  that  mothers  know  so  well. 
She  ignored  Tom,  after  her  first  command.  She 
was  entirely  absorbed  by  the  baby. 

"  What  does  this  mean  ?  "  he  cried  again.  "  Have 
you  forgotten  that  we  must  catch  our  train  at  eight  ? 
Why  did  you  send  Uncle  Jack  with  a  message  that 
I  should  come  here  and  ring  the  bell  and  ask  for 
you?  What  has  happened?  Has  your  father 
changed  his  mind?  Has  your  stepmother  retired 


74      THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

from  her  position  of  defiance?  Whose  baby  is 
that?  Why  don't  you  speak  to  me,  Eose?  Can't 
you  see  how  puzzled  I  am  by  all  this  ? " 

"  Isn't  he  dear  ? "  asked  Rose,  powdering  the 
little  body,  and  reaching  for  band  and  shirt  from 
the  back  of  the  chair.  "  Isn't  he  just  the  sweetest 
thing  you  ever  laid  your  eyes  on,  Tom  ?  I  sent  for 
you  because  I  couldn't  leave  him.  Besides  I  wanted 
you  to  see  —  our  baby." 

"  Why  ?  What  have  I  to  do  with  babies  ?  "  asked 
Tom  with  immeasurable  scorn.  "  What  baby  is  so 
important  as  to  interfere  with  our  plans  ?  Whose  is 
it  any  way  2  " 

"  Ours." 

"Yours?  Eose,  don't  speak  in  riddles.  Whose 
is  it?" 

"  Ours.     I  told  you." 

"  Nonsense.     You  are  trying  to  fool  me." 

"  Oh,  no,  I'm  not.  See,  Tom,  the  little  duck  — 
he  smiled  at  me.  He  loves  his  bath.  Look!  How 
he  kicks  and  squirms !  " 

"  Now  see  here,  Eose !  "  Tom  came  and  stood 
over  her  in  a  threatening  attitude  which  failed  of  its 
effect  because  she  had  no  eyes  to  spare  for  him. 
"See  here!  There's  something  back  of  this.  Of 
course  I  know  that  baby  don't  belong  to  you  folks. 
It  hasn't  been  so  long  since  Madge's  baby  died.  And 
if  you'd  adopted  one,  the  whole  town  would  have  been 
ringing  with  the  news.  You've  got  to  tell  me  why 


THE   SHELLEY S    OF   GEORGIA      75 

you  sent  for  me,  and  why  you  are  busy  with  that 
brat  instead  of  getting  ready  to  go  with  me.  Fire 
away !  I'm  listening !  Go  on !  " 

"  It  hasn't  been  very  long  since  I  came  home  from 
the  hospital,  Tom.  You  used  to  come  to  see  me 
there,  while  I  was  studying.  Kemember  ?  " 

"  Of  course  I  do.  You  couldn't  ever  go  out  with 
me  unless  we  took  two  or  three  nurses  along  for 
chaperons.  Won't  need  any  chaperons  now,  will  we, 
Rose?" 

"  There  was  one  night,  Tom,  when  I  went  with 
you  alone,  and  we  didn't  get  back  until  late.  I  got 
a  reprimand  from  the  head  nurse.  Eemember  ? " 

"  No.     I  wish  I  did." 

"  Tom,  on  that  night  of  nights,  you  made  me  cer- 
tain promises.  You  vowed  to  marry  me  as  soon  as 
possible,  and  swore  such  love  and  loyalty  as  to  dull 
my  sense  of  right  and  wrong.  Eemember  ?  " 

"  What  are  you  talking  about,  Rose  ?  You  know 
as  well  as  I,  that  nothing  of  the  sort  ever  hap- 
pened." 

"  And  I  so  trusted  you.  I  gave  you  everything. 
I  put  my  honor  in  your  keeping  recklessly,  without  a 
thought  of  consequences.  Do  you  remember  ?  " 

"No,  no!     I  tell  you,  no!" 

"And  time  went  on,  and  still  I  trusted  you.  I 
trusted  you  and  loved  you  so  that  I  was  even  happy 
when  I  found  there  was  to  be  —  a  little  baby,  Tom 
—  our  baby." 


76      THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

"  Rose !  Are  you  mad  ?  You  can't  know  what 
you  say." 

"  And  then  there  came  a  time  when  others  knew 
and  whispered  that  I  was  disgraced.  I  suffered, 
Tom,  and  still  I  trusted  you.  I  told  myself  all 
would  be  well.  You  had  promised,  and  later,  you'd 
fulfill." 

"  That's  it !     You  must  be  mad !  " 

"  No  one  would  speak  to  me.  I  was  sent  forth 
in  shame.  The  hospital  had  no  place  for  such  as 
I.  And  still  I  hugged  my  sorrow  to  my  breast  and 
gloried  in  it.  It  was  for  you  I  suffered,  and  in  time 
I  knew  you  would  repay  me." 

"  Listen  to  me,  Rose.     Listen,  I  tell  you  — " 

"  In  my  supremest  hour  of  agony  I  still  wa.s  happy. 
And  when  our  little  son  lay  in  my  arms,  and  I,  so 
faint  and  tired  from  the  pain,  knew  that  there  lay 
part  of  your  very  self,  then  most  of  all  I  felt  my 
shame  to  be  a  glorious  thing,  yet  longed  with  every 
fiber  of  my  being  to  have  you  lift  the  burden  from  — 
our  baby." 

"  Rose,  Rose !     I  beg  you,  I  implore  you  —  " 

"  At  first  I  tried  to  keep  his  birth  a  secret.  I 
planned  to  have  you  come  in  ignorance  of  it,  and 
for  my  sake  alone,  to  lift  the  veil  of  infamy  that 
clung  so  close." 

"  Oh,  this  is  horrible !     Rose  —  " 

"  And  then  I  saw  upon  his  tiny  leg  a  mark  that 
you  yourself  had  on  your  arm.  Only  this  morning 


THE   SHELLEY S   OF   GEORGIA      77 

I  asked  you  for  its  history.  Remember  2  You  told 
me  of  the  importance  of  this  mark,  how  Blanken- 
ships  stood  aside  and  passed  on  their  inheritance  to 
the  favored  one  who  bore  it.  I  knew  then  that 
my  baby  had  claims  which  could  not  be  ignored.  I 
knew  it  was  time  for  you  to  learn  of  him.  I  knew 
that  when  you  saw  him  you  would  feel  that  here  lay 
not  only  the  body  of  your  son,  but  the  one  who  had 
been  destined  from  the  first  to  carry  on  your  line. 
Look,  Tom  —  his  little  leg  — " 

She  turned  the  body  of  the  baby  on  her  knee,  and 
for  the  first  time  the  astonished  and  angry  man 
caught  a  glimpse  of  the  small  cluster,  exact  replica 
of  his  own.  He  leaned  closer,  staring  with  dazed 
eyes,  for  such  a  long  interval  that  Rose  said  gently, — 

"  He's  not  a  ghost  child,  Tom.  He's  a  real  baby, 
with  a  father  and  mother,  like  all  other  babies.  And 
he  needs  food  and  care,  and  the  love  of  parents — " 

"  Whose  child  is  this  ?  "  he  whispered  hoarsely. 

"Yours,  Tom." 

"  I'll  swear  it's  not." 

"It  is.  I  see  in  your  eyes  the  acknowledgment 
you  will  not  put  in  words.  It  is  your  child." 

"  Rose,  tell  me  the  truth.  You  have  woven  a 
strange  tale,  for  which  you  must  have  had  some  hid- 
den  reason.  What  is  that  reason  ?  " 

"  You  will  soon  perceive,  if  for  a  moment  you'll 
believe  my  story  true  — ; " 

"  I  can't  do  that." 


78      THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

"Hush,  Tom,  obey  me.  Let's  think  the  story 
true.  Now,  do  you  see  what  I  want  you  to  see  ?  Dt> 
you  realize  what  an  awful  thing  you  would  have 
done,  had  I  been  the  mother  of  this  baby  without  be- 
coming your  wife  first.  You  have  said  you  love  me, 
Tom.  You  have  made  me  wonderful  promises, 
which  no  doubt  you  meant  to  fulfill.  Tom,  Tom! 
How  many  other  women  have  you  loved  ?  To  how 
many  of  them  have  you  made  all  sorts  of  promises, 
without  the  slightest  intention  of  carrying  them  out  ? 
You  meant  to  honor  me,  because  I  am  of  your  class. 
You  gloried  in  dishonoring  them,  because  —  as  men 
say,  they  were  legitimate  prey.  Now  change  the 
point  of  view.  Let  it  seem  to  be  true  of  me,  only  for 
a  moment,  what  is  true  of  them  —  what  is  true  of  the 
mother  of  this  baby.  Don't  you  get  a  very  different 
idea,  Tom  ?  Don't  you  see  that  you  did  as  great  a 
wrong  to  innocent  little  Minnie  Gray,  as  you  would 
have  done  to  me?" 

"  Minnie  Gray !     Is  this  child  Minnie  Gray's  ?  " 

"You  didn't  think  she  had  one,  did  you,  Tom? 
It's  only  four  months  old,  and  for  almost  a  year  she 
hasn't  known  where  you  were." 

"  And  much  she  cared,  either,"  exclaimed  the  as- 
tounded man.  "  So  she  told  you  this  boy  was  mine, 
did  she?  You  took  her  word  for  it  —  a  light 
woman  whom  any  man  might  have  for  the  asking! 
This  baby  might  be  anybody's  child.  Shame  on  you 
for  believing  her !  " 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA      79 

"  She  didn't  tell  me.  She  isn't  a  bad  woman. 
She  is  loyal  to  you  and  has  kept  your  secret  faith- 
fully. You  know  that,  Tom.  No,  it  was  this  mark 
upon  the  child  himself  that  made  me  first  suspect. 
Then  I  went  to  Madge  and  asked  her  if  she  knew  who 
had  wronged  Minnie." 

"  Oh,  then,  it  was  your  stepmother  who  enlightened 
you?  I  might  have  known." 

"No,  Tom.  She  wouldn't  tell.  It  was  I  who 
told  her  what  I  knew  and  then  she  said  my  father  had 
already  found  out  —  what  I  stumbled  on  alone. 
Both  of  them  were  just  and  fair  to  you,  Tom,  as  I  am 
trying  hard  to  be." 

While  she  spoke  her  hands  had  been  busy  with  the 
child.  Clothed  at  last,  warm  and  rosy  with  sleep, 
and  sucking  his  fist  with  all  his  might  and  main,  she 
rang  for  Janey  to  take  him  to  his  mother.  Feeling 
better  able  to  talk  while  her  hands  were  occupied, 
she  busied  herself  with  clearing  up  the  disorder 
caused  by  the  baby's  bath. 

"  Shame  on  you,  Tom,"  she  said  in  low  indignant 
tones.  "  How  dared  you  come  to  me  with  your 
promises,  when  you  knew  that  your  honor  was  already 
bound?" 

"  Honor  has  no  connection  with  girls  like  Minnie 
Gray,"  he  sneered.  "  Put  you  in  her  place  ?  Why, 
I  couldn't,  Eose.  She  has  no  sensitiveness  compared 
to  that  you  possess." 

She  turned  upon  him  in  a  fury.     "  Tom,  Tom ! 


80      THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

Has  all  my  effort  gone  for  nothing?  Haven't  I 
made  you  see,  by  stepping  into  her  place  for  a  mo- 
ment, that  we  women  are  all  alike  —  just  human 
beings  equally  capable  of  feeling  pain  and  sorrow? 
The  fact  that  Minnie  was  a  mountain  girl,  who  had 
never  a  chance,  should  have  made  you  even  more  care- 
ful of  her  innocence  than  of  mine.  I've  had  plenty 
of  opportunity  to  learn  to  protect  myself,  even  if 
my  father's  reputation  had  not  placed  a  fence  be- 
tween me  and  lawlessness.  Minnie,  poor  child, 
lacked  all  protection.  Her  father,  wounded  in  the 
war,  was  unable  to  support  her  or  look  after  her 
properly.  Her  mother  worn  out  with  care  and 
drudgery  —  the  girl  neglected  and  allowed  to  follow 
her  own  ignorant  inclinations  —  oh,  it  was  pitiful. 
It  was  a  coward's  part  to  take  advantage  of  her 
helplessness,  Tom  Blankenship." 

The  man  hesitated,  roused  by  her  words,  yet  un- 
willing to  admit  that  she  had  stung  him.  Then  he 
laughed  lightly.  "  As  I  said  before,  you  have  not 
the  slightest  conception  of  what  you  are  talking 
about,"  he  asserted  boldly.  "  What  chance  have  you 
had  to  know  anything  of  life,  or  of  the  standards 
that  have  been  evolved  by  generations,  and  which 
have  proved  themselves  ?  A  couple  of  years  in  a  hos- 
pital —  pooh !  You  have  filled  your  pretty  head 
with  all  sorts  of  nighty  fancies.  And,  Eose  —  by 
placing  yourself  in  Minnie's  place,  you  ran  a  risk. 
A  man  less  of  a  gentleman  might  be  tempted  to  think 


THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA      81 

of  you  in  a  more  intimate  sense  than  I  dare  to  think. 
Where  I  revere  you,  such  a  man  might  now  plot 
boldly  to  possess  you.  We  Southern  men  —  we  are 
like  all  men  in  this  —  that  the  women  we  want  for 
our  wives  we  place  upon  a  pedestal.  Those  others  — . 
well,  being  men,  we  have  our  fancies.  We  are  all 
alike.  Let  them  look  to  themselves  before  they  rail 
at  us.  We  only  follow  where  they  lead." 

"  Minnie  was  not  that  type,"  insisted  Rose.  "  Her 
pedestal  was  as  real  as  mine.  You  should  have 
lifted  her  to  it,  instead  of  smashing  it  before  her 
eyes.  Come,  Tom,  be  a  man.  Marry  her  and  give 
your  boy  a  name." 

"  Nonsense,"  said  Tom  roughly.  "  I  am  going  to 
marry  you.  You  know  that.  I'll  provide  for  Min- 
nie, if  you  insist.  I'll  even  claim  the  brat,  if  by  do- 
ing so  I  can  satisfy  your  Puritanical  conscience. 
But  further  than  that,  I  wash  my  hands  of  them  both. 
I  advise  you  to  do  the  same.  She's  not  fit  company 
for  you.  Let's  be  going  now.  Perhaps  we  can  still 
catch  our  train.  If  not,  well,  I  reckon  we  can  get  to 
Atlanta  by  daylight  in  my  dog-cart." 

"  I  can't  go  with  you,  Tom.  I  couldn't  marry  you, 
when  your  place  is  with  Minnie." 

"  Do  you  mean  that,  Eose  ?  " 

"  I  do." 

"  Then  I  might  as  well  blow  my  brains  out. 
there's  nothing  left  for  me  in  this  world  if  I've  lost 
you." 


82      THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

"  You  have  a  man's  work  to  do  —  make  restitu- 
tion." 

"  To  a  thing  like  Minnie  Gray  ?  I  see  myself  I 
No,  I'll  go  to  war  and  make  myself  a  target  for 
Spanish  bullets.  Or  else  I'll  shoot  myself." 

She  came  towards  him  with  outstretched  pleading 
hands.  "  Ah,  Tom,"  she  said  sadly.  "  You  and  I 
are  miles  apart.  I  thought,  in  my  foolish  blindness, 
that  I  could  easily  show  you  the  truth.  I  was  mis- 
taken. My  little  play  failed.  No,  I'll  not  admit 
that,  for  it  has  affected  you.  If  you  don't  see  it  now, 
you  will  later.  If  I  can't  make  you  marry  Minnie, 
yet  I  think  you  will  hesitate  before  you  place  any 
other  girl  in  the  same  position.  But,  Tom,  the  birth- 
mark on  the  child  —  the  mark  of  your  race  —  are 
you  going  to  ignore  that,  too  ?  " 

"  I  deny  that  it  is  the  mark  of  my  race." 

"  The  time  will  come  when  you  can  no  longer  do 
so,"  she  cried.  "  Oh,  Tom,  believe  me  when  I  say 
I  am  your  friend.  My  love  for  you  is  dead.  It  will 
never  live  again.  But  I  feel  no  anger  against  you  — 
nothing  for  you  save  the  tenderest  compassion.  If 
ever  I  can  help  you,  come  to  me.  If  ever  you  need 
me,  you  will  find  me  waiting." 

"  I  need  you  now,"  he  muttered  despairingly. 

"  Oh,  no,  Tom,  you  don't  need  me  now,"  she  an- 
swered sorrowfully.  "  What  you  need  now  is  Min- 
nie Gray." 

"  Damn  Minnie  Gray,"  he  shouted,  stung  to  frenzy 


THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA      83 

by  her  insistence  on  this  theme.  "  It's  you  I  need. 
If  I  can't  have  you  alive,  by  God  I'll  take  you  dead ! 
No  other  man  shall  have  you,  if  you  are  not  for  me." 

As  though  entirely  bereft  of  sense  or  caution  he  ad- 
vanced upon  her,  she  retreating  until  she  encountered 
the  wall  of  the  room.  She  was  conscious  of  no  fear 
—  only  a  dull  sort  of  wonder.  She  could  not  have 
screamed,  had  she  tried. 

There  was  no  need,  however.  His  loud  tones  had 
penetrated  to  the  study,  and,  with  a  hurried  excuse 
to  his  guest,  Gabe  went  to  see  what  was  wrong.  As 
Tom  raised  his  arm  high,  whether  to  strike  or  only 
to  call  on  Heaven,  she  was  never  to  know,  the  door 
flew  open,  and  her  father  entered  the  room. 

It  was  a  dramatic  moment.  The  girl,  white  and 
silent,  almost  crouching,  her  father  stern  and  un- 
compromising, his  whole  attitude  expressing  his  read- 
iness to  defend  her,  her  lover  beside  himself  with 
fury,  yet  brought  to  a  standstill  by  the  presence  of 
Captain  Gabe  —  all  three  appeared  for  a  second  like 
so  many  graven  images,  perpetuated  thus  for  all 
eternity.  Tom  was  the  first  to  stir.  Still  acting 
under  the  influence  of  his  tremendous  outburst  of 
passion,  he  turned  on  Captain  Gabe. 

"Gabe  Shelley,"  he  cried.  "You  are  to  blame 
for  this.  You  have  brought  a  common  woman  into 
your  house  to-night.  I  am  sure  of  it.  Take  care  that 
she  does  not  turn  your  wife  and  daughter  to  like 
conduct  —  already  she  has  poisoned  Rose  with  her 


84      THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

lies.  I  shall  tell  the  town  what  sort  of  friends  you 
are  providing  for  your  household.  You'll  soon  find 
out  what  they  think  of  you  and  all  your  kind." 

Gabe  looked  mildly  interested,  but  his  hand  sought 
his  chin,  sure  sign  that  he  was  striving  for  self- 
control.  "  Well  now,"  he  drawled.  "  I  don't  know 
as  I'd  do  that,  if  I  were  you.  You  see,  as  soon  as  you 
begin  to  talk,  I'll  begin  too,  and  my  side  of  the  tale 
is  a  darned  sight  worse  than  yours.  I  find  that  the 
man  who  champions  a  wronged  woman's  cause  — 
while  other  men  might  sneer  at  him  —  their  wives 
won't  let  'em.  Why,  if  I  spread  the  news,  I'll  bet 
you  ten  to  one  there  won't  be  a  woman  in  this  whole 
town  that  won't  be  knitting  stockings  for  your  baby, 
come  fall.  But  though  they'll  take  to  the  little  one, 
the  place  won't  be  big  enough  to  hold  you,  too,  Tom." 

Tom's  fists  doubled,  but  he  said  nothing. 

"  No,  if  I  were  you  I  believe  I'd  keep  my  mouth 
shut,"  repeated  the  Captain.  "  Let's  take  it  out  in 
calling  names,  impersonally  —  contemptible,  Demo- 
crat, muck-raker,  low  Eepublican,  grafter  —  you 
know  —  those  things  we're  used  to.  I  aim  to  show 
you  up  to-morrow,  Tom.  But  there's  nothing  per- 
sonal in  that.  That's  politics.  I  don't  think  I'd 
want  to  descend  to  being  personal,  Tom." 

"  You  let  me  alone,  personally  and  politically," 
panted  Tom.  "  I've  been  made  the  butt  of  your  rot- 
ten paper  long  enough.  You  cut  me  out  of  your 
print  to-morrow,  or  I'll  shoot  you  like  a  dog." 


THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA      85 

"  I  dare  say  you  have  not  always  been  so  perfect 
that  you  can  lord  it  over  me  with  your  damned 
superiority,"  he  continued  with  a  sneer.  "  So  I 
warn  you.  If  you  so  much  as  mention  me  in  your 
paper  to-morrow,  I'll  make  it  personal.  Do  you 
hear?" 

And  he  strode  from  the  room  in  a  passion  of  rage. 

Captain  Gabe  looked  at  Eose,  who  had  drawn 
nearer.  "  Well,"  he  drawled.  "  What  do  you  know 
about  that?  Honey  Girl,  I  won't  ask  you  what  was 
doing  when  I  happened  in.  I  know  you'll  tell  me  if 
you  think  I  ought  to  know." 

"  I  told  him  I  could  never  marry  him.  He  was  so 
angry  that  he  lost  his  self-control." 

This  scanty  information  had  to  content  the  Cap- 
tain. "  Well,  well,"  he  said  cheerfully.  "  If  that's 
what  you  told  him,  no  wonder  he  had  it  in  for  me. 
Better  go  to  bed,  Eose.  You  look  fagged  out." 

"I'll  go  to  bed,  Father,"  answered  Eose  dully. 
"  But  I  don't  believe  I  can  ever  sleep  again." 


CHAPTER  VI 

WHEN  Tom  left  the  house  he  was  beside 
himself  with  rage,  and  as  he  walked  rap- 
idly away,  bits  of  the  talk  between  him- 
self and  Rose  would  repeat  themselves  with  more 
poignant  meaning;  or  some  lovely  unconscious  pose 
of  the  girl's  would  present  itself  again  to  his  inner 
vision,  serving  to  deepen  his  disappointment,  his 
anger,  and  his  shame. 

The  shame  was  not  for  any  act  of  his.  There  had 
been  no  conscious  sin  in  his  episode  with  Minnie 
Gray.  He  was  only  doing  what  his  fellows  did,  and 
to  his  thinking  there  was  no  harm  in  it.  A  man 
knew  how  to  look  at  such  affairs,  a  woman  did  not 
know.  His  shame  was  all  because  Rose  had  found 
out  and  judged  him. 

There  were  two  standards  for  a  man,  one  towards 
his  mother,  sisters,  wife,  another  towards  those  who 
inhabited  a  lower  plane  of  civilization.  He  knew 
how  to  conduct  himself  towards  both  classes  properly. 
He  himself  was  a  man,  made  in  the  image  of  God. 
The  fact  that  he  could  be  one  person  to  Rose  and  an- 
other to  Minnie,  was  something  for  which  he  was 
not  personally  responsible.  There  was  no  possible 


THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA      87 

wrong  in  it  so  long  as  women  kept  their  eyes  closed. 
Even  now  his  chief  feeling  was  anger  at  fate,  at  Min- 
nie for  being  the  stumbling  block  between  his  sweet- 
heart and  himself,  at  Rose  for  daring  to  face  the 
truth;  but  above  all  at  the  person  most  to  blame, — 
Captain  Gabe.  There  was  no  impatience  with  self 
in  his  soul,  only  a  conscious  rectitude  and  sense  of 
power.  A  man,  a  real  man,  such  as  he  felt  himself 
to  be,  could  play  with  fire  without  being  harmed. 

It  was  characteristic  of  his  type  that  he  gave  no 
thought  to  Minnie.  To  him  her  status  was  clear. 
As  Rose  had  put  it,  she  was  lawful  prey.  She  had 
no  rights.  If  she  suffered,  well,  what  of  it  ?  S  he 
had  the  consolation  of  knowing  that  a  man  far  above 
her  had  stooped  to  her  level  for  a  time.  Let  that 
suffice.  Besides,  some  other  fellow  would  be  glad  to 
step  into  the  place  he  had  left  vacant.  As  for  the 
boy  —  well,  if  his  mother  could  not  keep  him,  there 
were  plenty  of  orphan  asylums  in  the  land.  The 
birthmark  —  strange  that  the  nameless  brat  should 
bear  it  so  clearly.  And  if  there  was  any  remorse  as 
yet  in  Tom  Blankenship's  soul,  it  was  that  this  pre- 
cious segregating  mark,  this  sign  of  blood  and  race, 
had  affixed  itself  to  Minnie's  baby.  This  was  not 
fair.  It  should  not  have  been.  And  in  it  he  found 
extra  fuel  for  his  wrath. 

He  would  get  even  with  Captain  Gabe.  He  would 
make  Madge  Shelley  suffer.  With  them  out  of  the 
way,  Rose  was  easier  of  access.  And  she  had  done 


88     THE   SHELLEY S   OF   GEORGIA 

herself  this  harm,  that  where  before  he  had  thought 
of  her  only  with  the  idea  of  giving  her  his  name,  he 
now  toyed  with  the  possibility  of  getting  her  for  his 
own  without  that  safety  lock  of  civilization,  a  legal 
marriage.  She  had  dared  to  assume  Minnie's  place, 
in  order  to  teach  him  a  lesson.  He  would  force  her 
to  occupy  it  in  order  to  learn  her  own.  Then  per- 
haps she  would  be  ready  enough  to  accept  his  offer. 
How  quickly  she  would  abandon  Minnie's  cause 
when  it  became  hers.  Ah,  he  would  make  her  beg 
and  plead,  and  kneel  to  him  and  promise  anything, 
before  he  yielded  to  her  importunings. 

Indulging  himself  in  such  wild  and  evil  fancies, 
he  reached  the  main  street  of  the  town.  His  own 
home  lay  on  the  outskirts,  but  he  rented  a  room  in  the 
Yancey  Hotel  of  Salem,  where  he  conducted  most  of 
his  political  affairs.  It  was  to  this  room  he  now  be- 
took himself,  after  sending  messages  to  a  man  named 
Cuthbert,  and  another  known  as  Broadhead,  who  soon 
joined  him  there.  Cuthbert  was  from  the  hills,  in 
the  upper  part  of  the  county  where  Tom  was  all- 
powerful.  Broadhead  was  from  the  river  section, 
where  the  other  faction  had  eaten  into  Tom's  ma- 
jority. Cuthbert  had  some  education  and  was  neat 
and  precise  in  his  appearance.  Broadhead  was 
coarse  and  slovenly,  with  tobacco  juice  on  his  chin 
and  shirt-front,  and  loose  and  careless  in  his  speech. 
Yet  the  two  were  boon  companions,  never  far  apart 
when  in  town,  and  now  they  arrived  together. 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA      89 

Tom  really  did  not  know  why  he  sent  for  these  two 
men.  They  were  of  types  which  he  ordinarily  dis- 
dained. He  had  always  meant  to  play  fair  in  pol- 
itics, and  had  resisted  almost  all  efforts  to  bribe  him 
into  false  assessments.  It  was  true,  as  Captain 
Gabe  often  charged  through  his  editorials,  that  the 
office  of  county  tax  assessor  was  one  in  which  there 
was  peculiar  liability  to  graft.  But,  hang  it  all, 
Tom  could  hardly  help  showing  favoritism  to  his 
friends,  now  could  he?  He  had  never  deliberately 
used  his  office  to  his  own  advantage,  never. 

He  did  not  deliberately  plan  to  do  so  now.  Only 
he  knew  that  Cuthbert  and  Broadhead  were  in  town, 
and  sent  for  them  to  come  in. 

Upon  their  entrance  he  nodded  carelessly  without 
troubling  to  rise.  They  silently  found  seats. 
Broadhead  put  his  hat  beside  his  chair  and  spat  upon 
the  floor.  Then,  wiping  his  gross  chin  with  his 
dirty  sleeve,  he  spoke  abruptly. 

"  Wai!  Hev  you  made  up  your  mind  to  jine  us, 
boss?" 

"  Sh !  'Not  so  loud !  "  begged  Cuthbert  in  a  whis- 
per. "  It  wouldn't  do  to  let  folks  know  we're  here." 

"  And  why  not  ?  What  harm  is  there  ?  S'posen' 
folks  does  know.  What  then  ?  We're  in  politics  f er 
what  they  is  in  it,  and  anybuddy  what  purtends  to  be 
in  it  fer  anything  else  is  either  a  jackass  or  a  hyper- 
crite.  I'm  mighty  glad  to  know  that  Mr.  Blanken- 
ship  ain't  either  one." 


90      THE   SHELLEY S    OF    GEORGIA 

"  You're  giving  yourself  dead  away,"  whispered 
Cuthbert  again,  in  a  panic.  "  Mr.  Blankenship 
'ain't  said  what  we've  been  sent  for,  you  damn  fool." 

"  They's  only  one  thing  he  could  hev  sent  fer  us 
fer.  He's  come  across  to  our  side  of  the  fence. 
Ain't  that  right,  boss  ?  " 

Tom  made  no  reply  to  this,  but  signified  by  a  nod 
that  they  were  to  help  themselves  from  a  bottle  that 
stood  on  the  table.  Broadhead  obeyed  with  alacrity. 
Cuthbert  followed  more  slowly,  but  as  he  swallowed 
his  liquor  and  it  began  to  take  effect,  he  grew  jocose. 

"  I  was  telling  Bob  as  we  come  along  up,  that,  so 
far  as  I  can  see  it,  life's  nothing  but  a  big  grab-game. 
If  you  don't  get  a  prize  out  of  the  bag,  it's  your  own 
fault." 

"  But  you're  a  church  man,  Cuthbert,"  said  Tom, 
speaking  for  the  first  time.  "  How  do  you  reconcile 
that  point  of  view  with  your  expectation  of  a  blessed 
future  ? " 

"  That's  easy,"  scoffed  Cuthbert.  "  The  preacher 
says  they  make  more  fuss  over  one  sinner  brought  to 
roost,  than  over  ninety-nine  that  have  always  been 
good.  So  I'll  do  my  repenting  at  the  last  minute, 
and  then  I'll  have  the  laugh  on  'em  all  —  right  up  in 
Abraham's  bosom,  being  kissed  and  cried  over  by  all 
the  angels,  while  the  good  little  folks  walk  in  un- 
noticed." Cuthbert  chuckled  to  himself  as  he  took 
another  glass  of  whisky.  He  really  believed  what 


THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA      91 

he  was  saying,  and  thought  himself  a  clever  fellow 
for  thus  outwitting  the  Almighty. 

Tom  poured  a  glass  for  himself  and  drank  it  slowly 
down.  He  waited  a  moment  until  its  glow  suffused 
his  veins,  and  then  he  began  abruptly. 

"  I  have  sent  for  you  two  men  with  one  aim  in 
view.  I  have  an  enemy  who  is  your  enemy  as  well  — 
Captain  Gabe  Shelley." 

"That's  right." 

"  That's  so." 

"  He  has  attacked  me  more  than  once  through  his 
paper,  charging  my  department  with  petty  graft,  with 
favoritism,  and  corruption.  I  will  say  this  for  him, 
that  he  honestly  believes  he  speaks  the  truth.  How- 
ever, whether  he  believes  himself  right  or  not,  his 
changes  have  got  to  stop,  or  else  I  lose  my  office  at 
the  next  election." 

"  That's  right." 

"  That's  so,  boss.     That's  so." 

"  I  won't  say  I  haven't  been  incautious  sometimes, 
but  I  have  tried  to  play  fair.  I  have  attacked  him, 
too.  I  have  called  him  every  name  I  could  think  of. 
But  somehow  we  were  always  friendly  enough  until 
the  last  few  years.  It  isn't  my  official  self  he  hates, 
but  my  moral  self,  which  he  chooses  to  believe  loose 
and  vicious.  To-night  he  told  me  that  he  meditates 
a  fierce  attack  upon  our  party  in  his  next  issue.  My 
name  will  be  mentioned.  I  answered  that,  if  he 


92     THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

wrote  one  single  word  about  me  —  I'd  shoot  him  like 
a  dog.  I  meant  it,  too." 

"  I'm  with  you  there,  boss." 

"  So'm  I.     So'm  I." 

"  He  is  always  armed,  so  it  will  require  swift,  sure 
work.  And  in  these  days  of  courts,  I'll  need  a 
motive.  The  thing  must  happen  when  the  crowd  is 
at  the  Post-office  just  before  noon.  There'll  be  so 
much  confusion  then,  nobody  can  tell  a  straight 
story." 

"  I'll  help  you,  I  owe  him  a  grudge  for  that  land 
deal  of  his'n  on  Beacher  Creek,"  said  Cuthbert. 

"  I  'ain't  yet  got  even  with  him,  boss,  fer  havin'  me 
tuk  up  as  a  moonshiner,"  said  Broadhead  grimly. 

"  Then  we  all  owe  him  a  debt  which  we  can  make 
him  pay  in  full,"  said  Tom,  who,  under  the  influence 
of  the  liquor  and  of  his  hate,  was  by  this  time  beyond 
self-control.  "I'll  start  the  quarrel.  You  two  can 
step  in  and  make  it  appear  that  I  shot  in  self-defense, 
to  which  you  both  can  swear.  They  couldn't  get  a 
jury  in  this  county  to  convict  me,  anyhow." 

"It's  simple  as  A  B  C,"  said  Cuthbert.  "We 
don't  draw  a  gun  at  all,  but  shoot  from  the  pocket  — 
so."  He  illustrated  with  a  swift  motion  of  his  hand. 
"  If  he  should  be  unarmed,  we'll  arm  him.  There 
won't  be  no  witness  in  the  crowd  to  swear  to  any- 
thing except  ourselves." 

"  How  about  the  gal  o'  his'n,  that  rides  like  a  cow- 
boy and  shoots  like  hell  ?  "  asked  Broadhead.  "  I'll 


THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA      93 

never  fergit  how  she  jined  the  posse  that  rounded  us 
fellers  up  when  I  got  caught  fer  moonshinin'." 

"  She's  busy,"  sneered  Tom.  "  Her  hands  are  full 
just  now.  They  have  a  kid  up  there  whom  she 
cares  for  as  if  she  were  his  mother.  Gentlemen,  to 
the  success  of  our  plans,  and  the  downfall  of  all 
our  enemies !  Drink !  "  With  a  wild  laugh  Tom 
drained  his  glass  and  sent  it  crashing  to  the  floor. 

Meanwhile,  at  the  Shelley  house  Eose  was  lying 
on  her  bed  awake,  thinking  of  Tom  in  a  very  differ- 
ent fashion  from  what  he  was  thinking  of  her.  After 
bidding  Gabe  good-night,  she  sought  Madge,  to  find 
her  already  in  bed.  Beside  her  stepmother  she  hesi- 
tated for  a  moment,  half  inclined  to  avail  herself  of 
help  in  warding  off  the  suffering  that  still  lay  in  wait 
for  her.  Then  her  native  courage  squared  her  young 
shoulders  and  sent  her  off  to  her  own  room  to  have  it 
out  with  herself  for  once  and  for  all. 

There  in  the  darkness  she  fought  a  bitter,  and  at 
first  a  losing,  fight.  The  memory  of  his  tendernesses 
would  intrude  between  her  and  her  sense  of  right  and 
duty.  The  picture  he  had  painted  of  their  life  to- 
gether passed  before  her  and  added  to  her  torture. 
It  was  to  have  been  so  wonderful.  And  instead  it 
was  dreary  and  sordid  past  belief. 

At  last  exhaustion  brought  a  measure  of  relief,  and 
towards  dawn  she  slept.  But  in  her  dreams  her  lover 
walked  and  smiled  and  kissed  her,  but  always 
with  that  cruel  look  upon  his  face  which  she  had  first 


94      THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

seen  when  she  had  run  down  to  meet  him  in  the 
garden.  It  bore  fresh  meaning  now.  And  what  was 
this  he  said  ?  "  I'll  shoot  you  like  a  dog !  "  He  was 
talking  to  her  father.  Again  and  again  she  dreamed 
through  the  events  of  the  day  just  past,  ending  al- 
ways at  that  short  sharp  sentence,  "  I'll  shoot  you 
like  a  dog!" 

When  she  awoke,  late  in  the  morning,  the  words 
were  on  her  lips. 

Janey  brought  up  her  breakfast,  which  she  took  in 
bed.  Then,  wrapped  in  a  dainty  negligee,  she 
slipped  in  to  see  Minnie  and  the  baby,  to  find  them 
gone  to  the  lawn  with  Madge.  She  hurried  back  to 
her  own  room  to  dress,  choosing  her  riding-clothes  be- 
cause of  those  sinister  words  which  persisted  in  her 
brain.  It  would  be  as  well  to  ride  down  and  warn 
her  father  to  be  cautious.  And  so  at  last  she  dressed 
and  hurried  out. 

To  TJncle  Jack,  who  answered  her  swift  summons, 
she  issued  orders  to  bring  round  her  horse.  And 
then  she  ran  to  see  the  child  and  Minnie. 

Madge  had  arrayed  young  Tawm  in  a  silken  coat 
and  cap,  and  in  a  bed  improvised  from  a  clothes- 
basket,  the  small  instrument  of  fate  was  taking  his 
morning  nap.  Beside  him  Minnie,  in  the  pink  cal- 
ico, but  with  her  hair  awkwardly  imitating  Eose's 
masterpiece  of  the  night  before,  looked  up  with  a  wel- 
coming smile.  During  the  night  she  too  had  fought 
her  battle  —  a  battle  between  her  shame  and  pride, 


THE    SHELLEY S    OF    GEORGIA      95 

both  of  which  prompted  her  to  hold  aloof,  and  the 
longing  to  please  these  new  friends  by  doing  all  they 
told  her.  It  had  left  its  mark  in  a  new  gentleness  of 
expression.  The  eyes  she  now  lifted  adoringly  to 
Eose  had  the  wistful  look  of  a  beaten  dog.  "  Good- 
mawnin'  ?  "  she  whispered.  "  Li'l  Tawm,  he's  asleep, 
an'  Mrs.  Shelley,  she's  in  the  orchard.  We  'lowed 
you  wouldn't  wake  'til  noon." 

Eose  smiled.  "  I've  got  to  go  to  town,"  she  whis- 
pered back.  "  There  are  some  things  to  buy  for  his 
Young  Highness.  Minnie  —  " 

"  Yes,  Miss  Eose." 

"  Call  me  Eose,  if  we  are  to  be  friends,"  returned 
the  girl.  "  I  want  you  to  stay  quietly  at  home  for 
reasons  that  I  cannot  give  you  now.  Will  you  do 
that  for  me  ?  " 

"  I  'ain't  never  been  in  a  big  town  like  this  here," 
said  Minnie  wistfully.  "  Cain't  I  holp  you  buy  the 
baby's  things  ? " 

<e  No,  no,"  said  Eose.  "  You  have  got  to  promise 
that  until  I  give  you  leave  you'll  stay  right  here.  It 
is  for  your  own  good  that  I  ask  you.  Later  on  I'll 
tell  you  my  reasons." 

Poor  Minnie !  She  was  sharp  enough  to  conclude 
that  Eose  was  ashamed  of  her  in  her  present  costume. 
Eose  saw  her  error,  but  let  it  pass.  "  All  right,  then, 
that  is  settled,"  she  said  brightly. 

"But  there's  something  else  not  settled  yet,"  re- 
turned Minnie.  "  Come  over  here,  whar  li'l  Tawm 


96     THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

cain't  hear.  Thar!  ]STaow  what  I  want  to  ax  you 
is,  Miss  Kose,  how  am  I  a-goin'  to  pay  you  all  fer 
what  you  aim  to  do  fer  me  ?  You  know  I  cain't  take 
so  much  without  makin'  some  return." 

"  My  dear,  if  you'll  let  us  love  <  Tawm '  and  help 
take  care  of  him:  if  you'll  let  us  be  frank  with  you 
and  show  you  what  you  need  to  know  to  fit  in  to  — 
your  husband's  life  —  surely  you  will  put  us  in  your 
debt.  I  cannot  tell  you  why  just  yet  —  you  would 
not  understand  —  but  my  greatest  happiness  will 
come  about  if  you  give  me  my  way  in  this.  Now 
good-by.  I'll  be  back  in  time  for  lunch." 

She  walked  swiftly  to  her  horse,  which  Uncle  Jack 
was  holding  in  the  drive,  leaped  into  the  saddle  to 
Minnie's  great  surprise,  and  galloped  down  the  dusty 
street. 

In  the  meantime  the  Square  was  filling  slowly  with 
residents  of  Salem,  coming  to  the  Post-office  for  their 
mail.  As  many  as  could  do  so  crowded  into  the  small 
room,  while  the  post-master  opened  the  mail.  It  was 
put  in  pigeon-holes,  unless  the  addressee  happened  to 
be  present.  The  crowd  before  the  office  augmented 
bit  by  bit,  until  the  crooked  sidewalk  spilled  its  con- 
tents out  upon  the  street.  Captain  Gabe  was  among 
those  near  the  curb.  He  loved  the  bustle  and  impor- 
tance of  "  mail-time  "  and  seldom  failed  to  be  there, 
but  he  also  loathed  the  close  atmosphere  of  the  Post- 
office,  and  unfailingly  remained  outside. 

He  was  in  his  shirt-sleeves,  with  his  glasses  on  his 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA      97 

nose;  in  his  hand  a  copy  of  the  newspaper  through 
which  he  said  all  he  could  to  help  Salem  and  the  sur- 
rounding country.  Upon  the  outside  his  editorial 
held  a  promient  place,  and  to  Homer  Fort,  who  stood 
beside  him  looking  interestedly  at  the  scene,  he  was 
reading  bits  of  it  which  struck  him  as  particularly 
apt,  when  some  one  touched  him  on  the  arm  and  a 
voice  whispered  in  his  ear. 

"  Cap'n  Gabe,  they's  a  man  out  yondah  wants  a 
word  with  you." 

He  turned  to  encounter  the  shifty  eyes  of  Cuth- 
bert,  with  whom  he  remembered  to  have  had  some 
trouble  over  a  land  deal.  But  he  had  no  idea  that 
Cuthbert  bore  him  malice,  so,  with  a  word  to  Homer 
that  he  would  soon  be  back,  he  turned  and  followed 
through  the  crowd.  On  the  outer  edge  Tom  Blank- 
enship  stood  alone,  grim-mouthed  and  frowning,  and 
fortified  in  his  purpose  by  many  deep  libations.  He 
was  proud  of  his  ability  to  keep  a  steady  head,  and 
outwardly  seemed  perfectly  himself.  A  little  dis- 
tance off,  half -concealed  by  the  people  between,  and 
apparently  with  no  design,  stood  Broadhead. 

Gabe  met  Tom's  lowering  gaze  calmly,  although  he 
foresaw  trouble.  "Did  you  want  to  see  me?"  he 
asked. 

"  Last  night  I  warned  you,"  said  Tom  between  his 
teeth.  "I  warned  you  what  would  happen  if  you 
mentioned  me  in  your  paper.  You  can't  deny  I 
warned  you !  " 


98      THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

He  took  a  step  forward  and  pointed  a  pistol  at 
Gabe's  broad  chest.  No  one  noted  his  action  except 
Broadhead,  who  crept  nearer  through  the  throng, 
while  Cuthbert  stood  so  as  to  conceal  Tom's  out- 
stretched arm. 

"Hold  on,"  drawled  Captain  Gabe  in  an  under- 
tone. "  Hold  on,  Tom,  just  a  minute.  I  haven't  got 
my  gun  with  me,  so  I'm  at  a  disadvantage.  Have 
you  thought  what  folks'll  say  if  you  shoot  an  un- 
armed man  ?  " 

But  Broadhead  was  now  directly  behind  the  Cap- 
tain, and  even  as  Gabe  spoke,  a  pistol  was  pressed  into 
his  hand.  He  saw  then  that  he  was  expected  to  raise 
the  weapon,  that  there  would  be  a  shot  apparently 
from  himself,  that  he  would  then  receive  his  death 
wound  from  Tom,  in  "  self-defense."  He  even  had 
time  to  wonder  if  Tom  had  been  crafty  enough  to  see 
that  the  pistol  had  an  exploded  shell.  Then  he 
dropped  it  on  the  ground.  "  I  am  unarmed,  you 
see,"  he  cried. 

But  Tom  was  past  heeding.  He  was  fumbling  his 
gun  with  the  indecision  born  of  a  bad  cause,  and  a 
vague  sense  of  his  own  peril,  when  a  shot  rang  out. 
The  weapon  was  knocked  from  his  hand  by  a  blow 
so  violent  as  to  paralyze  his  arm.  At  first  he  did  not 
realize  that  he  was  shot. 

Rose  had  come  quietly  into  the  square  and  dis- 
mounted, leaving  her  horse  standing  in  the  street. 
With  her  hand  on  her  pistol,  which  she  carried  in 


THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA      99 

the  hip-pocket  of  her  coat,  she  hurried  to  her  father. 
She  was  in  time  to  hear  Tom's  threat,  to  see  Gabe 
reject  the  weapon  that  would  have  made  him  appear 
the  aggressor,  and  to  realize  that  there  was  no  way  of 
intervening  between  her  father  and  his  would-be 
murderer,  save  one.  Then  she  fired. 

While  Tom  stood  in  a  daze,  nursing  his  numb 
arm  —  while  the  people  all  about  were  yet  startled  by 
the  shot,  she  sprang  to  Gabe's  side  and  called  in  a 
ringing  voice,  "  Look  out,  Tom !  Look  out !  Don't 
let  them  get  away !  " 

As  she  spoke  she  fired  again  and  yet  again,  and 
during  the  noise  and  confusion  resulting,  Cuthbert 
and  Broadhead  slipped  out  of  sight. 

"  What  is  it,  Gabe  ?  Tom,  what  has  happened  ? 
God  bless  my  soul,  Rose !  You  here  ? "  It  was 
Judge  Oglethorpe,  who  now  waved  back  the  crowd 
so  that  he  and  the  three  stood  alone,  facing  one  an- 
other. 

Rose  ran  to  him  and  grasped  his  arm  in  both  her 
own.  "  Let  me  explain !  There  were  two  men  who 
were  about  to  shoot  my  father.  They  would  have 
done  it  too,  if  Tom  and  I  had  not  defended  him. 
I'm  a  deputy  sheriff,  you  know,  Judge,  so  I  had  a 
right  to  interfere,  even  if  it  were  not  my  own  father's 
life  at  stake." 

As  she  spoke  she  looked  at  Tom.  He  saw  she 
meant  to  shield  him. 

"One  of  them  was  named  Broadhead,  a  moon- 


100     THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

shiner,  from  the  hills,"  she  added.  "  The  other  I 
do  not  know." 

"  The  other  was  Cuthbert,  from  Beacher  Creek," 
interposed  Gabe  quietly.  He  was  looking  with  in- 
terest from  one  to  the  other  in  the  group,  quite  as 
though  he  were  the  person  least  concerned. 

"  Captain,"  said  Judge  Oglethorpe  solemnly. 
"  You  have  had  a  close  call.  Thanks  to  Blankenship 
and  to  Rose  you  are  alive  this  minute.  I  am  glad 
to  see  that  you  two  men  are  enemies  only  politically. 
I'm  afraid  we  shall  have  a  hard  time  to  catch  those 
rascals,  though.  Why  didn't  you  clap  handcuffs  on 
them,  Rose,  instead  of  letting  them  run  ?  "  And  the 
Judge  laughed,  for  he  considered  this  a  joke. 

"  There  was  no  time  for  anything,"  said  Rose, 
simply.  "  Father,  Tom,  take  me  over  to  the  office. 
I  feel  a  little  faint." 

If  she  felt  faint  she  did  not  look  it,  for  the  excite- 
ment had  brought  vivid  color  into  her  cheeks.  But, 
since  after  all  she  was  a  woman,  the  excuse  served  to 
gain  a  pathway  through  the  crowd,  and  the  three  made 
their  way  amid  a  storm  of  congratulations  and  ex- 
cited questions,  to  Gabe's  office,  a  short  distance  down 
the  street. 

Once  there,  she  locked  the  door  and  turned  to 
Tom. 

"  You  see  I  lied  to  save  you,"  she  panted.  "  You 
owe  your  life  to  me.  If  I  had  told  them  you  in- 
tended to  shoot  my  father,  they  would  not  have  waited 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF    GEORGIA      101 

for  Judge  Oglethorpe  to  try  you.  They'd  have  hung 
you  to  the  nearest  tree.  You  know  that  as  well  as  I." 

Tom  made  no  answer. 

"Father,"  cried  Kose.  "You  proved  my  story 
true  by  keeping  silent.  Does  that  mean  that  you  will 
overlook  this  mad  act  of  Tom's?  He  must  have 
been  crazy  —  or  drunk  —  or  he  would  not  have  dared 
attempt  it." 

"  Tom,"  said  Captain  Gabe.  "  I  know  your  look 
when  you're  in  liquor.  I  shall  forget  that  scene. 
As  far  as  I'm  concerned,  it  never  took  place.  I'll 
see  that  those  two  rascals  keep  away,  or  else  their  tale 
might  harm  you.  Now  go !  Be  a  man,  Tom.  Be 
a  man." 

"  I  suppose  you  expect  me  to  be  grateful,  but  I'm 
not,"  muttered  Tom. 

"  Good-by,"  said  Kose.  "  Remember  that  your 
life  belongs  to  me.  As  I  have  lied  to  save  you,  you 
owe  me  something.  I  shall  expect  it  of  you,  Tom." 

There  came  a  knock  at  the  outer  door.  Gabe  un- 
locked it  and  admitted  Homer  Fort.  His  clothes 
were  disordered  and  he  was  breathing  quickly. 

"Well!"  he  exclaimed.  "I  had  a  time  to  get 
here,  and  no  mistake.  That  was  the  gentlest  mob  of 
people  I  ever  met.  They  didn't  do  one  thing  to  me 
when  I  tried  to  get  through.  What  happened  any- 
way? I  understand  that  four  moonshiners  fired 
sixty  shots  at  you,  Captain,  that  Rose  hit  every  last 
one  of  them  through  the  heart,  that  nevertheless 


102     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

they  all  escaped,  but  the  coroner  expects  to  recover 
at  least  ten  of  them,  stone  dead,  by  to-morrow  morn- 
ing. Have  I  the  story  straight  ?  " 

"  Near  enough,"  laughed  Gabe.  "  Have  you  met 
Mr.  Blankenship  ? " 

"Fellow  hero,  I  salute  you,"  cried  Fort,  wring- 
ing Tom's  limp  hand,  and  dropping  it  in  dismay  as 
he  perceived  the  red  mark  on  the  wrist.  "  I  didn't 
know  you  were  wounded.  You  should  be  proud  of 
that  —  but  you  look  awfully  down.  Must  be  you  are 
mourning  because  Miss  Rose  shot  more  of  them  than 
you  did." 

Tom  snatched  his  hat,  muttered  something  inco- 
herent, and  made  a  dash  out  of  the  door.  "  Gee 
whiz!"  said  Homer.  "That's  the  sulkiest-looking 
hero  I  ever  saw,  and  say,  Captain,  this  morning  has 
furnished  me  with  the  realest  thrills  I  ever  felt.  I 
have  but  one  more  longing  left.  I've  been  here  two 
days  almost,  and  I  have  yet  to  taste  a  julep." 

Gabe  laughed  again.  "  Come  over  to  the  Yancey," 
he  said.  "  We'll  break  you  to  them  gradually, 
Homer.  If  I  mixed  you  your  first  one,  the  joy  of  it 
might  be  too  much  for  you.  Eun  along,  Eose.  Your 
old  daddy  is  proud  of  you.  And  here  is  a  kiss  for 
Madge." 

At  the  Yancey  the  two  men  found  Judge  Ogle- 
thorpe,  and  while  they  waited  to  be  served,  Gabe  told 
the  old  man  of  the  coming  peach-growers'  combine. 

The   Judge   was   enthusiastic.     "  God   bless   my 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     103 

soul,"  he  exulted.  "  I've  got  a  son-in-law  to  be  proud 
of,  if  he  is  a  year  older  than  I.  Let's  drink  his 
health,  Mr.  Fort,  and  to  the  success  of  his  plan.  May 
it  be  the  best  thing  this  State  has  ever  known." 

"  I'm  with  you,"  said  Homer,  lifting  his  glass 
high.  "  On  this,  the  momentous  occasion  when  I 
first  taste  a  julep,  I  drink  to  the  glorious  Georgia 
Peach." 

His  eyes  met  Gabe's  over  their  glasses  as  they 
drank. 


CHAPTEK  VII 

THE  days  which  passed  after  Minnie  Gray 
and  her  baby  were  first  brought  to  the  Shel- 
ley home,  were  busy  ones  for  the  entire 
family.  In  those  times  of  awakening  to  the  proper 
amount  of  care  necessary  to  one  small  infant's  health, 
"  li'l  Tawm,"  even  in  the  most  ordinary  and  normal 
conditions,  would  have  completely  upset  the  well 
regulated  household.  But  Minnie  had  undergone  so 
much  in  the  last  year  that  she  was  quite  worn  out, 
and  under  Doctor's  orders  she  was  compelled  to  wean 
her  baby,  that  both  of  them  might  thrive  the  better. 

Eose  took  charge  of  preparing  the  artificial  food, 
and  astounded  the  ignorant  young  mother  by  the 
tremendous  lot  of  detail  necessary. 

"  I  cain't  see  no  sense  to  it,"  she  had  unhesitatingly 
declared.  "  Up  to  home,  thar's  Mis  Slocum  —  she 
takes  a  ol'  whisky  bottle,  an'  fills  it  up  with  milk 
right  outen  the  caow,  an'  then  she  puts  some  spring 
water  to  it,  an'  ties  a  rag  around  the  top,  an'  her  baby 
sucks  that  rag  like  it  wuz  his  mammy's  own  breast. 
And  he's  just  as  fat  as  butter." 

To  this  Rose  had  answered  by  asking,  "Are  all 
the  hill  babies  fat?" 

"  Lawsy,   no !  "   exclaimed  Minnie  wonderingly. 

104 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF    GEORGIA     105 

"  Some  on  'em  are  peeny-weeny  as  can  be.  Mis  Slo- 
cum  lost  one  on'y  las'  year  —  the  one  befo'  this  baby. 
Seems  like  they  is  allus  a  baby  funer'l  goin'  on  some- 
whar.  Some  folks  has  so  many  chillun  that  s'posen 
one  does  die  —  why  they  don't  make  no  account  on 
it  a  tall.  Jes'  digs  a  grave  an'  says  some  words  over 
it,  an'  'pears  like  they  fergits  it  in  a  minute." 

"  That's  why  we  are  going  to  be  careful  with  our 
baby,"  retorted  Rose.  "  Mrs.  Slocum  may  have  one 
infant  so  healthy  that  he  thrives  on  germs,  but  we'll 
take  no  chances  with  little  Tom." 

"  What's  germs  ?  "  asked  Minnie. 

An  older  person  might  well  have  grown  discour- 
aged, for,  thought  Rose,  no  sooner  did  she  mention 
something  a  little  out  of  the  common  A  B  C  of  every- 
day intercourse,  than  Minnie  avowed  utter  ignorance 
of  it.  However,  she  set  herself  to  work  to  explain 
germs  to  the  mountain  girl,  and  did  her  job  so  thor- 
oughly and  well  that  for  days  afterward  Minnie 
looked  with  suspicion  at  everything  that  had  not 
been  baked  or  boiled,  although  she  declared  that  she 
couldn't  "  see  a  thing  a-crawlin'  around  nowhar,  no 
matter  how  hard  she  kep  on  lookin'."  The  micro- 
scope, with  its  ability  to  show  up  minute  organisms, 
was  a  baffling  mystery  to  her,  which  Rose  was  not 
able  to  explain  until  later,  when  she  took  Minnie  to 
the  nursing  home  and  gave  her  a  practical  demon- 
stration of  its  powers. 

Thus  Minnie's  education  progressed  by  leaps  and 


106     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

bounds,  through  the  medium  of  simple  every-day  oc- 
currences, which  each  afforded  its  own  peculiar  op- 
portunity for  instruction.  And  her  teaching  was 
so  gently  and  wisely  given,  that  under  its  influence 
her  mind  unfolded  rapidly,  and  her  heart  opened  to 
the  love  and  kindness  of  these  new  friends  like  a 
flower  to  the  glowing  sun,  Freed  from  its  burden  of 
disgrace  and  shame,  her  head  lifted  again,  and  her 
slight  frame  straightened  in  imitation  of  Rose's  agile 
bearing.  She  saw  her  transgression  in  another  light, 
and  while  both  sorry  for  it  and  eager  to  make  amends, 
she  learned  to  regard  her  baby,  not  as  a  living  symbol 
of  her  sin,  but  rather  as  the  outgrowth  of  all  that  had 
been  noblest  and  most  selfless  in  her  love  for  his 
father,  a  Heaven-sent  comforter  to  help  her  bear  his 
desertion,  and  a  means  for  the  attainment  of  her  own 
highest  womanhood.  Where  before  she  had  loved 
him  in  a  secret,  guilty  fashion,  getting  him  out  of  the 
way  quickly  if  any  one  approached,  she  now  basked 
in  the  glory  of  actually  being  proud  of  him,  and  her 
mother  nature  sprang  to  its  full  development  unhind- 
ered. 

Her  gratitude  for  this  one  thing  alone  —  the  op- 
portunity to  enjoy  her  baby  —  must  have  made  her 
yield  to  the  suggestions  of  Rose  and  Madge,  had  there 
not  been  as  well  their  own  genuine  liking  for  her, 
which  Minnie  felt  instinctively  through  everything 
they  said  and  did,  and  appreciated  more  than  they 
could  ever  know.  For  though  Rose  had  tried  to  step 


THE    SHELLEYS    OF   GEORGIA     107 

into  Minnie's  place  for  a  moment,  and  had  grasped 
intuitively  something  of  what  her  sufferings  had  been, 
she  could  have  no  real  conception  of  their  depths,  nor 
of  the  alleviation  which  her  ministrations  brought. 
The  good  woman  who  has  never  sinned  is  miles  apart 
from  the  so-called  fallen  woman,  and  though  love  can 
bridge  the  gap,  and,  standing  over,  peer  within,  it 
cannot  enter  the  abyss  through  which  the  latter  has 
just  passed. 

Minnie  loved  Madge  with  a  deep  abiding  love,  but 
she  worshiped  Rose,  and  clung  to  her  so  pathetically 
that  when  Gabe  decided  that  she  must  be  sent  away 
for  a  time,  it  was  quite  evident  that  she  would  not 
be  able  to  bear  the  separation.  She  was  thriving 
now,  and  growing  strong  and  well,  but  if  Rose  were 
taken  from  her  at  this  critical  period,  it  was  only  too 
clear  that  she  would  sink  again  into  that  miserable 
condition  from  which  she  was  but  just  emerging,  and 
this  in  spite  of  the  advantages  laid  before  her. 

Gabe  had  patiently  explained  his  reasons  to  the 
mountain  girl,  only  suppressing  the  fact  that  in  Sa- 
lem lived  Tom  Blankenship,  the  father  of  her  boy. 
This  was  in  truth  the  main  object  of  sending  her 
away.  After  the  shooting  episode  Tom  had  taken 
himself  and  his  wrath  across  to  Europe  for  a  while, 
but  at  any  time  he  might  return,  and  come  face  to 
face  with  Minnie.  Needless  to  say  this  would  ruin 
the  plans  Rose  had  developed  for  them  both. 

There  was  another  difficulty  which  had  to  be  con- 


108     THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

sidered.  Minnie  had  been  introduced  to  some  few  of 
the  townspeople  as  Mrs.  Kemp,  a  young  widow,  who, 
with  her  baby,  was  visiting  Kose.  But  sooner  or 
later  it  was  inevitable  that  some  one  of  them  would  do 
more  than  merely  address  her,  when  she  was  certain 
to  betray  her  mountain  origin.  This  again  would 
defeat  the  plans  of  Rose. 

So  Minnie  had  been  told  merely  that  she  needed 
much  which  Salem  could  not  give  her,  and  which 
New  York  could  readily  supply.  She  saw  that  this 
was  so,  yet  grew  so  piteous  at  thought  of  leaving 
Eose  and  her  baby,  that  eventually  it  was  decided  to 
send  all  three  away  together. 

"  Of  course!  I  can  keep  house  and  look  after  '  li'l 
Tawm'  while  Minnie  studies,"  said  Eose  merrily. 
"  Why  didn't  we  think  of  that  before  ?  We  will  hire 
a  flat,  Father,  and  be  quite  settled.  And  I'll  come 
home  as  often  as  I  can." 

But  just  as  the  matter  seemed  to  be  decided  to 
everybody's  satisfaction,  Minnie  balked  again. 

"I  cannot  let  you  do  so  much  for  me,"  she  ex- 
plained gently.  "  I  can't  possibly  do  it." 

"You  wish  to  be  educated,  don't  you?"  Gabe 
asked  kindly. 

"I  —  I  reckon  I  do.  Of  course  I  must !  "  hesi- 
tated Minnie,  a  bewildered  look  creeping  into  her 
brown  eyes. 

"  See  here.  Are  you  doing  all  this  of  yourself,  or 
just  because  Eose  wishes  it  ?  " 


THE   SHELLEY S   OF   GEORGIA     109 

"  I  —  I  don't  know,"  faltered  Minnie. 

"  I'm  very  much  afraid  you  have  been  swept  off 
your  feet  by  my  impetuous  daughter,"  smiled  Gabe 
kindly.  "  However,  you  do  want  the  education,  and 
you  are  willing  to  work  to  gain  it  —  aren't  you  ?  " 

"  Y-yes.  But,  Cap'n  Gabe,  I  cain't  bear  to  leave 
my  baby  so  much  to  other  people  — " 

"  Don't  you  want  him  to  be  Tom  —  Somebody  — 
some  day,  instead  of  Tom  —  Nobody  ?  " 

Minnie  winced  and  nodded,  unable  to  speak. 

"  Then  that  is  settled." 

"  But  I  can't  accept  so  much  —  " 

"  Nonsense !  "  interposed  Gabe  stoutly.  "  Didn't 
you  know  that  you  have  valuable  land  up  in  the 
hills  ?  If  you  and  your  mother  will  agree  to  selling 
some  of  it,  I  can  easily  find  you  a  purchaser.  Per- 
haps I  might  buy  it  myself,  for  speculative  purposes. 
So  you  can  pay  your  own  way  and  feel  under  obliga- 
tions to  nobody." 

This  satisfied  Minnie,  who  would  have  believed 
anything  Gabe  told  her,  and  November  saw  the  three 
ensconced  in  their  small  New  York  home.  Minnie 
was  to  have  private  lessons,  so  that  she  might  ad- 
vance as  rapidly  as  possible.  She  was  naturally 
apt.  As  she  had  told  Eose,  the  teacher  in  the  moun- 
tain school  had  taught  her  all  he  knew,  which  was 
not  inconsiderable  since  he  was  a  city  chap  sent 
mountainward  for  health's  sake,  and  teaching  to  pay 
his  way.  Naturally  much  of  what  Minnie  then 


110     THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

learned  had  slipped  away  from  her.  But  the  train- 
ing helped  her  now.  And  her  ancestry  was  in  her 
favor,  too,  for  she  was  of  the  purest  Anglo-Saxon 
stock,  which,  in  the  mountains  of  Georgia,  the  Caro- 
linas,  and  Eastern  Tennessee,  has  remained  isolated 
from  Revolutionary  times.  There  was  good  gray 
matter  in  Minnie's  flower-like  head,  as  well  as  the 
marks  of  race  in  her  small,  graceful  figure,  and  well- 
shaped  hands  and  feet. 

On  their  way  north  the  two  stopped  over  to  see  Mrs. 
Gray.  Minnie's  mother  was  now  almost  well  enough 
to  leave  the  hospital,  and  had  displayed  unexpected 
obstinacy  in  insisting  upon  going  straight  to  the 
mountains,  instead  of  to  Xew  York  with  Rose  and 
Minnie,  or  to  the  Shell eys  in  Salem. 

She  was  sitting  up  when  they  entered  the  ward, 
a  small,  gray-haired  woman,  with  a  face  seamed  into 
countless  lines,  flat  bosom,  and  work-worn  hands. 
She  looked  indifferently  at  the  two  girls,  supposing 
them  "ladies"  bent  on  charity.  She  explained 
later  that  numbers  of  these  ladies  visited  the  ward 
from  time  to  time,  bringing  flowers  which  she  might 
have  enjoyed  had  it  not  been  for  her  pride,  which 
rose  in  arms  at  their  patronizing  manner. 

"  Jus'  ca'se  I'm  pore  an'  old  an'  sick,  they  think 
they  kin  lay  it  all  over  me.  I  says  to  'em,  says  I,  '  I 
nevuh  axed  you  to  come  ter  see  me.  When  I  wishes 
yo'  comp'ny,  I'll  send  you  a  invite,'  I  says.  '  I  got 
flowers  to  home  —  mounting  laurel,  an'  wild  roses, 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     111 

an'  rhodydenden,  that'll  put  your  pore  hand-raised 
boughten  flowers  to  shame.  Gawd  tends  to  my  kind. 
He  'ain't  got  no  use  f er  your  kind,  no  more'n  I  hev',  I 
says.  En'  they  didn't  know  what  to  make  of  me. 
But  I  meant  it,  every  word." 

Now  as  the  nurse  in  charge  led  the  girls  to  her 
chair,  she  turned  languid,  incurious  eyes  upon  them. 
They  carried  flowers,  so  she  straightened  to  do  battle. 
She  was  by  nature  militant,  and  under  different  cir- 
cumstances might  have  fought  and  died  joyously  for 
a  cause.  Her  fiery  spirit  had  worn  out  her  feeble 
body,  so  that  she  looked  even  older  than  mountain 
women  of  her  age  usually  do.  She  could  not  have 
been  much  over  forty  at  this  time.  But  as  her  nos- 
trils widened  and  her  eyes  flashed  for  the  fray,  she 
perceived  that  these  were  wild  flowers,  of  the  kind  she 
loved. 

"  Glory  be !  "  she  exclaimed,  forgetting  everything 
in  her  interest.  And,  "  Glory  be !  "  she  said  again, 
when  Minnie  stooped  and  kissed  her  tenderly. 

"  'Scuse  me,  leddies,"  she  explained  politely,  as 
soon  as  she  had  recovered  breath.  "  But  I  ain't  no- 
ways used  ter  bein'  kissed,  nor  to  them  kind  of  blos- 
soms in  a  horspittal.  You-all  must  surely  be  a  new 
kind  of  sick-visitors." 

"  Why,  Mammy !  Don't  you  know  me  ?  "  Minnie 
shrank  back,  astounded  at  the  very  thought. 

The  familiar  name  and  voice  made  the  little  woman 
jump.  But  she  still  looked  doubtful.  Her  eyes 


112     THE   SHELLEYS   OF.   GEORGIA 

swept  over  Rose  suspiciously.  This  was  undoubtedly 
a  stranger.  But  the  other  dainty  girl  had  called  her 
"  Mammy,"  and  the  word  had  stirred  her  soul.  She 
reached  out  a  bony  hand,  clutched  Minnie's  wrist 
and  drew  her  close.  She  looked  long  and  searchingly 
into  the  brown  eyes.  And  then  faintly,  incredu- 
lously, yearningly,  she  tried  to  give  her  feelings 
words. 

"  Air  you  my  li'l  gal,  my  Minnie  ?  It  ain't  rea- 
sonable. It  cain't  be  true.  Them  purty  clothes 
wouldn't  change  a  body  so !  You're  different  some- 
how. You're  a  reel  lady  —  such  as  I've  allus  wanted 
my  Minnie  to  grow  inter.  But  you've  got  Minnie's 
eyes  —  and  Minnie's  hair  —  and  Minnie's  smile  and 
voice.  Lawsy!  It  mus'  be  true.  What  they  done 
to  you,  honey,  to  make  you  so  smart  and  all  ?  " 

She  held  the  girl  close  to  her  meager  breast  while 
Minnie,  in  a  few  words,  told  what  had  transpired  in 
the  past  two  months  —  told  all  she  had  been  unable 
to  tell  in  letters  which  had  to  be  read  aloud  to  the 
prostrate  mother  whose  eyes  were  dim  from  suffer- 
ing. 

The  little  woman  made  no  comment,  beyond  in- 
telligent eyes  and  nods  of  her  gray  head.  She  had 
learned  the  mountain  way  of  scanty  speech. 

"  —  And  this  is  Eose  —  she  lets  me  call  her  that." 

"  I'm  right  glad  to  see  you,  Rose,"  said  Mrs.  Gray. 
"  Yes,  I'm  right  glad  to  see  you.  And  to  thank  you 
fer  all  you've  done." 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     113 

"  Don't  speak  of  thanks."  Eose  was  very  tender. 
"  Don't  speak  of  thanks.  Minnie  has  done  more  for 
me  than  I  can  ever  do  for  her." 

"  You  don't  say !  "  Mrs.  Gray  was  polite,  but 
mystified. 

"  I  have  found  happiness  in  planning  for  her  hap- 
piness. Mrs.  Gray,  when  you  go  to  Salem,  you  will 
understand  better  what  I  mean.  By  the  way,  we 
have  not  let  Minnie's  story  become  known.  We  have 
introduced  her  to  people  as  Mrs.  Kemp,  a  friend  of 
mine." 

"  Jes's  you  say."  Mrs.  Gray  was  quite  obedient. 
"  I  reckon  Minnie  an'  I  hev  no  call  to  objec'  to  any- 
thing you  may  feel  to  do.  We  cain't  help  bein' 
grateful.  Ef  you  don't  want  thanks,  you  don't  hev 
to  hev  'em,  but  they  is  in  our  hyarts,  jes'  the  same." 

Eose  went  soon  after  to  call  upon  some  friends,  and 
Minnie  spent  a  quiet  hour  by  her  mother's  side.  She 
told  her  story  over  and  over  to  the  little  mountain 
woman,  who  gave  free  rein  to  her  curiosity  now  that 
she  was  sure  this  lovely  girl  was  her  own  daughter. 
She  took  the  pretty  dress  in  her  wasted  fingers, 
praised  its  quality  and  dainty  style,  admired  the  rose- 
trimmed  hat,  and  let  her  hungry  heart  drink  its  fill 
of  Minnie's  unexpected  beauty. 

"  I'd  never  'a'  knowed  you,"  she  repeated  again 
and  again.  "  Minnie,  chile,  I'd  never  V  knowed 
you.  Good  feedin',  fine  clothes,  and  such  friends 
makes  a  sight  of  difference  in  a  body." 


114     THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

It  was  characteristic  of  her,  and  something  Minnie 
did  not  dream  of  feeling  sad  about  or  of  combating, 
that  she  never  once  mentioned  "  li'l  Tawm,"  left  all 
this  time  in  the  care  of  a  nurse  in  the  corridor  outside. 

When  Rose  returned  and  Minnie  said  good-by,  she 
clung  to  the  girl  wistfully.  "  I'd  'a'  let  you  go  to 
New  York  a  whole  heap  easier  ef  I  hadn't  'a'  seen 
you  a-tall,"  she  whispered  brokenly.  "  You  wuz 
shamed  and  disgraced  and  a  burden  on  my  back. 
Naow  you're  so  different  I  cain't  begin  to  realize  it, 
even  yet.  Good-by,  my  li'l  gal.  Good-by,  Hose. 
Ef  the  prayers  of  a  pore  old  woman  are  wuth  any- 
thing to  you,  wal,  I  allow  you  hev  'em  with  you.  And 
ef  the  time  ever  comes  when  I  kin  repay  you,  I'll 
doit  — that's  all." 

"  Your  husband  saved  my  father  during  the  war," 
reminded  Kose.  "  If  there  is  any  talk  of  pay,  I 
fancy  I  could  not  discharge  my  debt.  Good-by, 
Mrs.  Gray.  When  we  get  back  again,  I  hope  to  see 
you  well  and  strong." 

"  Good-by,  Mammy,"  whispered  Minnie  tearfully. 
"When  I  return,  it  will  be  to  try  to  be  a  better 
daughter.  Good-by." 

From  the  hospital  the  two  went  directly  to  the 
train,  and  from  the  train  to  their  new  home,  which 
was  ready  and  waiting  for  them. 

It  was  an  eventful  winter  in  more  ways  than  one, 
for  while  Minnie  was  making  astonishing  progress 
with  her  studies,  which,  after  all,  was  not  so  astonish- 


THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA      115 

ing  when  one  realizes  all  she  had  at  stake,  occurred 
that  astounding  catastrophe,  the  blowing  up  of  the 
battleship  Maine,  in  Havana  harbor.  Although  the 
courts  were  unable  to  fix  the  responsibility  for  this 
upon  any  one  person  or  persons,  it  was  instantly  fol- 
lowed by  such  a  tempest  of  denunciation  that  it  is 
doubtful  if  the  sufferings  of  the  oppressed  Cubans 
continued  to  occupy  their  rightful  place  in  the  minds 
of  the  nation  at  large.  During  the  wait  for  the  ver- 
dict of  the  court,  this  thirst  for  vengeance  was  fos- 
tered until  people  lost  all  ability  to  judge  fairly,  or 
to  choose  an  impartial  attitude  and  to  maintain  it. 

"  Eemember  the  Maine  I "  became  the  nation^  slo- 
gan, instead  of  "  Help  a  defenseless  and  suffering 
people !  " 

So  one  thing  led  to  another,  and  upon  Monday,  the 
25th  of  April,  1898,  after  a  series  of  misunderstand- 
ing, recriminations,  and  accusations  such  as  has  never 
been  equaled,  the  House  of  Eepresentatives  at  Wash- 
ington, D.  C.,  declared  that  war  had  been  begun  by 
Spain  four  days  before. 

The  entire  population  of  the  United  States,  already 
in  a  white  heat  of  impatience,  burst  into  flames  at 
this  touch  of  the  match.  Apparently  there  was  not 
one  single  doubt  or  fear,  not  one  demurrer  or  one 
advocate  for  peace.  Women  advanced  no  protest,  ar- 
bitration schemes  were  dismissed  as  the  most  utter 
folly,  and  everywhere  the  lust  for  battle  spread. 

Yet  on  this  April  morning  Nature  herself  had 


116     THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

never  been  more  peaceful,  or  more  serenely  beautiful. 
It  was  as  though  she  tried  to  convey  a  message  to 
humanity,  scrawling  it  in  long  lazy  lines  of  budding 
trees  and  plants,  enveloping  it  in  hazy  green,  and, 
upon  the  little  town  of  Salem  she  set  a  special  seal 
in  the  shape  of  myriads  of  rosy  blooms,  which  filled 
the  air  with  their  elusive  fragrance.  By  no  means 
particular  about  the  manner  in  which  she  affixed  this 
seal,  long  splotches  of  pink  and  white  stretched  out  in 
all  directions  from  the  nucleus  of  the  town. 

Salem  was  scarcely  able  to  recognize  itself  in  its 
fine  new  costume.  Old  Judge  Oglethorpe  told  the 
children  that  they  had  suddenly  been  transported  into 
fairyland,  and  delighted  them  by  insisting  that  they 
must  be  fairies,  gnomes,  or  goblins.  The  minister 
likened  it  reverently  to  Paradise,  and  drew  stern 
morals  for  his  congregation  upon  Sunday,  which  they 
forgot  promptly.  But  Captain  Gabe  Shelley  called 
the  whole  glory  just  "  Peach-Blossom  Time  in  Geor- 
gia," and  said  he  thought  it  quite  enough  to  be  alive 
and  able  to  see  and  smell  upon  this  Monday  morn- 
ing. Perhaps  he  was  the  wisest  of  them  alL 


CHAPTER  VIII 

LESSER  events  will  happen  on  the  same 
day  that  larger  events  take  place,  so 
this  April  Monday  not  only  sent  broad- 
cast the  news  of  imminent  war,  but  brought  Salem 
back  Rose  Shelley,  Minnie  Gray,  and  the  baby  Tom, 
now  nearly  ten  months  old.  Tom  Blankenship,  home 
through  the  winter  months  but  now  away  again  on 
a  trip  through  the  Western  States,  was  reported  to 
be  returning  to  take  command  of  his  "crack  com- 
pany." And  Homer  Fort  had  journeyed  south- 
ward to  renew  his  acquaintance  with  the  Shelleys, 
give  Gabe  some  further  help  in  his  peach-growers' 
combine,  and  see  the  blooming  orchards  about  Salem. 
Rose  frowned  when  she  learned  that  Homer  was 
again  their  guest.  He  had  been  with  them  at  a  time 
which  was  a  painful  memory  to  her.  He  had  also 
been  unwisely  friendly  with  her  stepmother.  Her 
long  winter  away  did  not  cause  Rose  to  relax  one 
iota  of  her  vigilance,  and  the  first  greetings  were 
scarcely  over  before  she  determined  that  Homer 
should  have  scant  opportunity  to  converse  with 
Madge.  "  It  was  well  we  came  when  we  did,"  she 
thought.  And  as  soon  as  Minnie  and  the  child  were 
117 


118     THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

resting,  she  went  with  Homer  through  the  aisles  of 
trees. 

After  lunch  Gabe  undertook  to  drive  Minnie  and 
the  baby  to  her  mountain  home.  She  was  to  stay 
there  for  a  short  time,  and  then  return  to  Salem  for 
a  visit,  when  Eose  hoped  to  bring  about  a  meeting 
between  her  protegee  and  Tom,  though  this  plan  was 
frustrated  owing  to  the  latter's  absence  at  camp  in 
Tampa. 

The  day  was  chilly,  and  the  Captain  left  many  di- 
rections behind  as  to  what  was  to  be  done  in  case 
there  came  a  frost,  the  one  thing  dreaded  most  at 
blossom  time.  As  the  afternoon  advanced  and  the 
cold  steadily  increased,  both  Madge  and  Eose  were 
busied  in  carrying  out  these  orders,  and  finally  asked 
their  guest  to  join  them.  It  was  Uncle  Jack  who 
brought  Homer  their  message,  finding  the  young 
man  busily  writing  letters  in  Gabe's  study. 

"  Ain't  it  strange,  boss,  dat  ol'  Maw  !Natur  is  so 
crooel  ?  "  Uncle  Jack  lingered  to  ask  after  fulfilling 
his  errand.  "  We  plant  de  trees,  an'  prune  'em,  an' 
spray  'em,  an'  den  de  fros'  come  an'  kill  de  fruit  in 
de  bud,  an'  all  our  labor  done  gone  fer  nawthin'. 
I  reckon  de  Lawd  knows  bes',  but  hit  do  appear  lak 
he  set  a  mighty  poor  example  to  his  chillun  some- 
times, an'  dat's  a  fac'.  How  am  I  gwine  tu'n  dish 
yere  into  a  lesson  f o'  de  Sunday  School  ?  Dat's  what 
I  wants  to  know." 

Homer  laughed,  professed  himself  unable  to  solve 


THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA      119 

.the  problem,  and  followed  Uncle  Jack  to  the  wind- 
ward side  of  the  trees.  Here  he  found  the  orchard 
bustling  with  activity.  Madge,  in  plain  blouse  and 
.short  dark  skirt,  was  directing  the  laborers  who  were 
building  smudges  everywhere.  Rose,  similarly  at- 
tired, ordered  the  placing  of  the  oil-burners,  and  as 
soon  as  Homer  reached  them,  she  called  him  before 
Madge  could  speak.  He  perceived,  with  deepening 
amusement,  that  she  had  determined  to  keep  him  and 
Madge  apart. 

"  Here,  Mr.  Fort,"  she  called.  "  Will  you  show 
those  stupid  men  how  to  lay  that  brush  to  make 
the  heaviest  possible  smoke  ?  I'm  needed  yonder. 
You  know  how,  don't  you  ?  " 

Homer  did  know,  and  assumed  command  of  the 
men  who  justified  her  complaint  of  their  stupidity. 
When  this  was  done,  she  ordered  him  to  oversee  the 
cutting  of  more  green  wood  from  the  uncleared  land 
belonging  to  the  place.  She  flitted  here  and  there 
and  everywhere,  unconsciously  assuming  entire  com- 
mand, and  Madge  obeyed  her  as  well  as  Fort  and  the 
workmen,  to  whom  the  Captain's  girl  was  a  superior 
and  wonderful  being.  Later  she  galloped  off  to  town 
like  a  whirlwind,  to  Homer's  intense  admiration. 
He  told  himself  that  she  was  not  only  bewilderingly 
pretty,  but  that  she  was  as  spirited  and  full  of  life 
as  the  wild  little  horse  she  rode.  She  was  back  be- 
fore the  rest  had  missed  her,  but  he  knew  the  instant 
she  had  come.  He  must  have  known  soon  in  any 


120     THE   SHELLEYS   OR   GEORGIA 

case,  for  during  her  short  absence  Madge,  passing  by, 
had  stopped  for  a  little  chat,  embarrassed  because  of 
the  constraint  which  Rose  had  placed  upon  her. 

"We  are  almost  through,  Mr.  Fort,"  she  said, 
striving  to  speak  lightly. 

"  Do  you  know,"  exclaimed  Homer,  sweeping  out 
an  arm  to  indicate  the  scene.  "  This  is  one  of  the 
most  amazing  things  I  have  ever  witnessed,  this  in- 
telligent, organized  fight  against  Mature  by  her  chil- 
dren. It's  great!  It's  inspiring!  Those  grimy 
sweating  negroes  and  the  ugly  piles  they  rear,  against 
the  background  of  the  glorious  trees  —  if  I  were  a 
poet  I'd  be  tempted,  I  can  tell  you." 

Her  diffidence  vanished  before  his  enthusiasm. 
Her  eyes  kindled,  as  she  realized  how  the  scene  might 
affect  one  unused  to  it.  "  Then  you  haven't  minded 
helping,  have  you,  Mr.  Fort  ?  I  was  afraid  the  work 
might  prove  irksome." 

"  Irksome !  "  Fort  spoke  emphatically  and  was 
sorry  the  moment  after,  for  Eose,  alighting,  had  heard 
the  eloquence  of  his  tone,  and  had  again  misjudged. 

She  turned  to  him  with  a  superbly  scornful  gesture. 
11  Mr.  Fort,"  she  said  coolly,  ignoring  Madge,  whose 
eyes  grew  proud.  "  Mr.  Fort,  the  workmen  can  finish 
here  alone,  so  perhaps  you  won't  mind  a  little  rest. 
Will  you  come  back  to  the  house  with  me,  please  ?  " 

Fort  looked  at  her  calmly.  Her  beauty,  though  it 
dazzled,  did  not  bewilder  him.  He  was  not  only  able 
to  resist  it,  but  to  resent  the  girl's  manner  towards 


THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA     121 

Madge.  "Miss  Shelley,"  he  answered.  "Mrs. 
Shelley  and  I  are  both  tired.  I  daresay  you  are 
tired,  too.  I  quite  agree  with  you  that  all  of  us  need 
rest.  Mrs.  Shelley,  will  you  take  my  arm  ?  " 

Rose  quivered  with  indignation  as  Madge  accepted. 
There  was  nothing  to  do,  if  she  did  not  wish  to  leave 
them  alone,  but  to  tag  along  like  a  superfluous  child. 
Fort,  apparently  oblivious,  was  really  keenly  alive 
to  her  presence  just  behind,  and  took  impish  delight 
in  aggravating  her  further  by  his  solicitous  attentions 
to  his  companion.  When  they  reached  the  Gallery, 
he  stood  aside  to  admit  of  both  ladies  ascending  the 
steps  before  him.  But  scarcely  had  either  reached 
the  top  than  he  was  there  by  Madge,  with  a  deep  cush- 
ioned chair  in  which  he  installed  her,  with  utmost 
satisfaction. 

"  There !  "  he  announced,  standing  off  to  admire 
the  effect.  "  Now  you  are  perfect,  Mrs.  Shelley. 
Eest,  and  don't  talk  unless  you  feel  like  it." 

There  was  mischief  in  his  eye  as  he  placed  a  chair 
for  Eose.  She  ignored  it,  deliberately  choosing  a 
straight  high-backed  affair  near  Madge,  and  seating 
herself  with  her  back  almost  turned  on  Homer,  who 
sank  down  on  the  top  step.  Silence  fell,  deep,  mys- 
terious and  baffling,  a  silence  that  Madge  felt  inade- 
quate to  break,  and  that  Eose  declined  to. 

"  Well  ?  "  inquired  Homer  casually  at  last. 

!NTo  answer. 

"  Miss  Shelley  ?  "     It  was  Homer  again,  not  plead- 


122     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

ing,  but  pleasant  and  politely  interrogative,  as  be- 
fore. 

"  Well  ?  "  Kose  felt  obliged  to  answer  and  took 
refuge  in  the  monosyllable. 

"  I  always  knew  I  was  famous  for  my  original  re- 
marks," said  Homer  modestly.  "  But  I  didn't  know 
I  was  famous  enough  to  be  copied." 

"  Keally,  Mr.  Fort,  I  don't  know  what  you  mean." 
Eose  was  icily  indifferent. 

"I  said,  'Well?'"  explained  Homer  patiently. 
"  Then  I  called  your  attention  to  my  remark  by  say- 
ing, '  Miss  Shelley.'  You  repeated  it.  You  said 
'  Well  ? '  Don't  you  see  ?  I  said  '  Well  ? '  and  you 
said  '  Well  ? '  Perhaps  you  copied  me  unconsciously 
but  you  did  it,  just  the  same.  Since  I  said  '  Well  ? ' 
and  you  said  '  Well  ? '  all  must  be  well." 

Rose  drew  herself  up  with  offended  dignity. 
"  Really,  Mr.  Fort,"  she  said  again,  "  I  fail  to  see 
the  connection." 

"  Between  your  '  Well  ? '  and  my  '  Well  ? '  is  there 
really  no  connection,  Miss  Shelley  ? "  questioned 
Homer  sadly.  "  Were  they  not  both  fed  by  the  same 
spring,  '  well  '-ing  from  a  mutual  desire  to  indulge  in 
social  talk  ? " 

"  How  silly !  "  murmured  Rose.  Nevertheless  she 
could  not  look  quite  so  distant  as  before,  and  Madge 
was  smiling  sleepily. 

"  Miss  Shelley  ?  "  implored  Fort. 

"  Well  ?  "     Rose  caught  herself  too  late,  and,  start- 


THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA     123 

ing  guiltily,  she  looked  into  his  triumphant  eyes.  "  I 
knew  you'd  say  it,"  he  exulted.  "  There !  At  last 
I've  made  you  laugh.  I  feel  repaid." 

Rose  composed  her  face  again  and  looked  away. 
She  was  determined  to  dislike  the  man.  Again  si- 
lence, deep  and  impenetrable  as  before. 

"Miss  Shelley."  This  time  Fort  whispered. 
"  Miss  Shelley,  she's  asleep." 

Rose  looked.  It  was  quite  true.  The  long  busy 
day  had  been  too  much  for  Madge,  and  the  sudden 
quiet  and  comfort  had  accomplished  a  lovely  end. 
She  lay  sound  asleep  in  her  chair,  her  long  lashes  dark 
on  her  flushed  cheeks.  Yielding  to  the  helpless  ap- 
peal in  her  unconscious  attitude,  Rose  hastened  to 
spread  a  wrap  about  her  father's  wife.  There  was 
both  love  and  tenderness  in  the  action,  and  Fort  drew 
new  conclusions  therefrom. 

As  for  Rose,  her  uppermost  thought  was  that  now 
she  could  relax  her  vigilance.  Yet  when  she  turned 
to  Fort  to  excuse  herself,  and  saw  that  he  expected  her 
to  go  down  with  him  to  the  settee  under  the  trees,  she 
yielded.  Just  why  she  could  not  have  told.  Sit- 
ting there,  where  she  and  Tom  Blankenship  had  often 
talked  so  intimately  together,  her  thoughts  were  all 
upon  the  man  beside  her.  The  antagonism  which  he 
roused  in  her  made  her  unable  to  erase  him  from  her 
mind. 

Homer  was  a  bold  man  when  he  thought  boldness 
expedient.  He  thought  so  now.  "Miss  Shelley,'* 


124     THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

he  began  abruptly,  and  then  stopped  to  reconsider. 
"  I  shall  not  call  you  by  that  name  again,"  he  an- 
nounced. "  Our  friendship  has  progressed  beyond 
it.  Hereafter  I'll  address  you  as  Miss  Rose." 

He  beamed  as  she  gasped  with  indignation.  Then, 
before  she  could  voice  her  outraged  feelings,  he  asked 
her  playfully,  "  Miss  Rose,  why  do  you  dislike  me  ?  " 

"  I  dislike  you  ?  "  exclaimed  Rose.  "  I  have  not 
thought  about  you  enough  either  to  like  or  dislike  you, 
Mr.  Fort." 

"  One  can  like  or  dislike  a  person  without  thinking 
of  him  at  all.  You  dislike  me.  If  you  thought  of 
me  a  little,  you  wouldn't.  Try  it,  and  see." 

He  smiled  at  her  contagiously,  but  it  was  of  no  use. 
She  turned  cold  eyes  upon  him  and  answered  scorn- 
fully, in  her  pretty  Southern  drawl,  which  lent  all 
she  said  a  peculiar  emphasis.  "  Mr.  Tort,  you  ask 
too  much.  I  couldn't  think  about  you  if  I  tried. 
But  I  do  think  of  —  of  Madge,  and  I  resent  your  at- 
tempt to  place  her  in  an  awkward  position.  I  am 
quite  frank,  you  see." 

Homer  was  nettled.  "  In  what  way  have  I  placed 
Mrs.  Shelley  in  an  awkward  position  ?  " 

"  You  admire  her  too  obviously.  She  is  young 
still,  and  very  pretty.  My  father  is  much  older  than 
she." 

"  So  you  conclude,"  interrupted  Homer,  with  steeli- 
ness  in  his  pleasant  voice.  "  You  conclude  that  be- 
cause she  is  still  young  and  pretty,  and  your  father  is 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA      125 

old,  she  is  peculiarly  liable  to  awkward  positions  ? 
Why  should  that  be  so  ?  " 

Eose  moved  impatiently  upon  her  seat.  "  You  for- 
get that  we  live  in  a  small  place,  where  the  old  ladies 
love  to  gossip.  Such  a  sudden  friendship  as  yours 
for  my  father's  wife  is  open  to  misconstruction." 

"  But,  Miss  Eose,"  cried  Homer.  "  Does  not  Mrs. 
Shelley  realize  this  as  well  as  you  ?  Is  she  not  quite 
as  able  to  uphold  your  father's  honor  ?  " 

Eose  looked  annoyed.  "  We  have  already  talked 
too  long  upon  this  subject,"  she  said  crisply. 

"  One  moment,"  returned  Homer.  "  I  am  forced 
to  infer  from  your  attitude  that  you  are  distrustful 
of  your  mother.  You  fear  that  her  affection  for  your 
father  is  not  strong  enough  to  keep  her  loyal.  You 
are  so  sure  of  this  that  you  feel  the  necessity  of  warn- 
ing off  possible  trespassers.  Is  that  it  ?  " 

"  No,  no,"  said  Eose,  but  that  was  it,  as  he  saw 
from  the  very  force  of  her  denial. 

"  If  I  were  a  different  sort,  I'd  be  inclined  to  take 
up  the  gauntlet  you  fling  down  —  to  prove  her 
loyalty,"  he  said.  "But  why  doubt  it,  for  a  mo- 
ment?" 

"  You  misunderstand  me,"  cried  Eose.  "  I  do  not 
imply  that  her  loyalty  needs  proving.  All  I  ask  is 
that  you  keep  your  distance." 

Homer  smiled.  Inwardly  he  was  boiling  with 
wrath.  He  would  have  liked  to  shake  this  slip  of  a 
girl  who  defied  him.  "  We  won't  quarrel,"  he  said 


126     THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

calmly.  "  I  did  not  use  the  phrase  in  the  sense  in 
which  you  took  it.  Let  that  pass.  We  seem  destined 
to  misunderstand  each  other.  And  when  I  try  to  cor- 
rect your  impressions  of  me,  I  only  falsify  them  fur- 
ther. Let  us  talk  on  impersonal  subjects,  the  war 
for  instance.  I  dare  say  you  have  a  number  of  ad- 
mirers who  are  going  to  enlist." 

Rose's  eyes  kindled.  "  I  have  many  friends  who 
will  enlist,"  she  answered  quickly.  "  And  all  who  do 
enlist  I  count  my  friends.  If  you  really  want  my 
friendship,  Mr.  Fort,  you  know  now  how  to  obtain 
it" 

"  It  is  a  temptation,  certainly,"  murmured  Homer. 
"  However,  I  have  not  yet  made  up  my  mind  as  to  the 
expediency  of  enlisting." 

"  How  can  you  hesitate  ?  " 

"  There  are  so  many  things  to  consider,"  said 
Homer  comfortably.  "First,  am  I  needed?  Kot 
yet.  Every  harum-scarum  in  the  country  is  crying 
to  be  a  soldier.  Would  it  be  fair  to  rob  one  of  them 
of  his  chance  ?  The  camps  will  soon  be  overflowing, 
with  men  burdening  tne  country  with  their  support 
while  they  are  trained  for  a  field  they  may  never  see. 
Then,  too,  our  business  interests  need  to  be  looked 
after  now,  as  well  as  in  times  of  peace." 

"  You  are  evading  the  question,  Mr.  Fort." 

"  Perhaps  I  am.  As  the  poet  says  of  his  purple 
cow,  '  I've  never  been  a  soldier  boy,  I  never  thought 
to  be  one.  But  this  I'll  tell  you  anyhow,  I'd  rather 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF    GEORGIA     127 

live  than  "  dee  "  one.'  There's  truth  in  that  crude 
poem,  Miss  Eose.  I  should  no  doubt  admire  myself 
immensely,  clad  in  regimentals  and  marching  off  to 
the  tune  of  °Way  Down  South  in  Georgia/  But 
supposing  I  got  shot  ?  What  then  ?  " 

"How  can  you  make  a  mock  of  your  country's 
needs  ?  "  asked  Eose  indignantly. 

"  I  am  sorry.  I  did  not  know  you  felt  the  thing 
so  keenly.  Well,  then,  if  I  have  any  objection  to  en- 
listing, it  lies  in  my  deep-rooted  conviction  that  war, 
for  whatever  purpose,  is  never  justifiable." 

"  The  justifiability  of  war  is  an  abstract  question, 
which,  in  times  of  peace,  will  bear  discussing,"  cried 
Eose  stormily.  "  But  this  is  not  the  time  to  broach 
it.  War  is  here.  It  is  upon  us  now,  justifiable  or 
unjustifiable.  We  have  got  to  face  it.  If  I  were  a 
man  I'd  show  you  how  quickly  I'd  enlist.  The  more 
swift  and  merciless  we  are,  the  greater  numbers  we 
send  out,  the  sooner  will  the  brutal  work  be  over.  We 
might  as  well  win  quickly,  for  we'll  win.  We  never 
will  be  beaten  while  our  women  stand  behind  and  urge 
our  men  to  face  the  enemy  unflinchingly.  I  wish  I 
were  a  man,"  cried  Eose,  springing  to  her  feet.  "  I 
wish  I  were  a  man !  "  So  deeply  was  she  moved  that 
tears  rolled  down  her  cheeks,  and  she  ran  away  fo 
hide  them. 

Homer  looked  after  her  in  surprise.  He  had 
stated  his  convictions  frankly,  merely  omitting  to 
mention  that  in  spite  of  them  he  had  joined  a  regi- 


128     THE   SHELLEYS   OR   GEORGIA 

ment  in  Illinois.  "  I  didn't  think  she  had  it  in  her," 
he  now  soliloquized,  as  he  went  off  to  the  orchard  to 
see  how  the  men  were  progressing.  "  What  a  little 
spitfire  she  is!  She  dislikes  you,  Homer  Fort,"  he 
continued  thoughtfully.  "  Undeserved  dislike,  too. 
Won't  you  do  something  to  deserve  it,  Homer  ?  Per- 
haps that  might  make  it  lose  its  sting." 

Dinner  was  hurried  that  night,  for  already  the  men 
were  lighting  the  oil-burners  and  brush-piles,  and  get- 
ting to  work  in  earnest  to  fight  the  frost  which  now 
promised  to  be  a  hard  one.  The  thermometer 
dropped  with  terrifying  steadiness  until  at  half-past 
six  it  stood  at  thirty-five  degrees.  Although  Gabe  had 
but  just  returned  from  a  long  and  fatiguing  ride,  he 
snatched  merely  a  few  bites  of  bread  and  meat,  and 
then  hastened  to  don  old  clothes,  with  which  he  also 
supplied  his  guest.  And  then  the  two  men  hurried 
out  to  superintend  the  battle. 

If  Homer  had  been  impressed  by  the  activity  of  the 
afternoon,  he  found  it  as  nothing  beside  the  bustle 
now.  Already  it  was  dusk,  and  the  fitful  light  of  the 
fires,  now  flaring  into  sheets  of  flame,  now  hidden  by 
volumes  of  smoke,  alternately  threw  into  relief  or 
obscured  the  fairy-like  beauty  of  the  trees,  and  the 
rough,  toiling  figures  whose  business  it  was  to  keep 
that  smoke  as  heavy  as  possible.  Where  the  flame 
was  too  free,  water  quenched  its  ardor.  And  as  the 
wind  shifted  the  fires  shifted,  too,  new  ones  being 
hastily  built  to  take  the  place  of  the  old.  There  was 


THE    SHELLEYS    OF   GEORGIA      129 

contagion  in  the  fury  with  which  the  fight  went  on, 
and  Homer  threw  himself  gayly  into  the  midst  of  it. 

There  was  nothing  for  Kose  and  Madge  to  do  now, 
so  they  watched  the  workers,  and  cheered  the  men 
with  occasional  words  of  encouragement  or  praise. 
Cold  water  was  dispensed  by  Uncle  Jack,  to  cool 
parched  throats  and  mop  blistered  brows.  As  the 
evening  advanced  some  negro  started  crooning  an  old 
plantation  melody,  and,  taken  up  by  the  rest  of  the 
band,  it  rose  and  fell  amid  the  noise  of  combat  like 
a  battle  hymn.  Homer  felt  as  though  indeed  he  had 
been  transported  into  some  foreign  country,  so  strange 
the  entire  scene  appeared  to  him. 

At  last  Gabe  ordered  Madge  and  Kose  to  bed. 
"  You'll  have  to  be  up  early,  to  superintend  a  hearty 
breakfast  for  us  all,"  he  said.  "  Rose  is  tired,  I 
know.  Why,  my  girl,  I've  hardly  had  a  chance  to 
realize  that  you  are  home  again,  there's  been  so  much 
to  do  all  day." 

He  took  her  in  his  smoke-begrimed  arms  for  a 
hearty  hug,  and  she  pretended  to  pick  a  clean  spot  on 
his  face  for  a  kiss.  So,  with  laughing  good-nights, 
she  and  Madge  went  to  the  house  together,  and  to 
bed. 

However,  the  weary  men  in  the  orchard  kept  the 
night  stirring  with  the  sound  of  their  labor.  The  fit- 
ful gleam  of  the  flames  now  and  again  played  on  the 
ceilings  of  the  bedrooms.  The  cold  was  intense,  for 
the  thermometer  now  registered  only  thirty-three. 


130     THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

So  Madge  sought  Rose  at  last  in  her  pretty  chamber, 
and  nestled  in  bed  beside  her. 

"  Has  the  winter  really  gone  as  well  as  your  let- 
ters pretended,  Rose  ? "  she  asked,  lying  with  arms 
crossed  behind  her  head. 

"  Yes,"  answered  the  girl  briefly.  "  We  had  so 
much  to  do  and  see  and  hear.  And  there  was  always 
'  li'l  Tawm.' " 

"  Minnie  has  improved  beyond  belief,"  said  Madge. 

"  She  is  a  dear  girl,  Madge,  in  spite  of  that  in  her 
life  which  would  condemn  her  utterly  to  most  peo- 
ple." Rose  paused  for  a  long  moment,  and  then  con- 
tinued thoughtfully.  "  I  wish  we  need  not  have  had 
to  use  secrecy  at  all,  but  still  I  cannot  see  how  else 
we  could  have  managed.  Xow  that  she  has  gotten 
used  to  the  name,  I  think  perhaps  it  has  been  an  ad- 
vantage to  her.  She  is  changed  in  appearance, 
speech,  and  dress.  The  change  in  name  was  another 
step  away  from  the  old  life.  Whereas  Miss  Gray  was 
branded,  Mrs.  Kemp  is  free.  Miss  Gray  faced  every 
one  distrustfully.  Mrs.  Kemp  is  staunchly  unafraid. 
All  the  same  I  fear  for  the  result  now  that  she  is  in 
her  mountain  home  again,  and  once  more  Minnie 
Gray.  Will  she  not  suffer  ?  " 

"  I  am  afraid  so,"  answered  Madge.  "  But  we 
won't  let  her  stay  there  long  enough  for  the  bitterness 
to  return.  We'll  get  her  back  to  us  as  quickly  as  we 
can,  and  perhaps  we  may  be  able  to  get  her  mother 
to  come  too.  I  love  the  baby,  Eose.  He  seems  a  lit- 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     131 

tie  to  me  like  my  own  —  that  died.  I  should  like  to 
have  him  in  the  house." 

It  was  seldom  that  Madge  spoke  of  her  loss,  and 
Rose  put  up  a  sympathetic  hand  to  pat  her  cheek. 
"  As  for  me,"  she  said  quickly,  forestalling  the  ques- 
tion which  trembled  on  Madge's  lips.  "  Don't  worry 
about  me.  I've  learned  to  bear  my  sorrow  bravely. 
I  don't  love  Tom  any  longer  —  at  least  I  do  not  think 
I  do.  There  is  part  of  me  that  used  to  be  alive  and 
throbbing  for  him,  that  now  is  dead.  But  I  am  just 
as  anxious  as  ever  to  see  him  marry  Minnie,  and  make 
himself  into  the  fine  man  which  I  feel  under  his  devil- 
may-care  exterior.  I  think  of  him  often  in  this  way, 
but  never  in  the  old  way,  Madge  —  never  that, 
again." 

Nevertheless  she  burst  into  tears  and  wept  her 
heart  out  on  Madge's  breast,  wept  out  the  struggle 
of  the  weary  months  away,  the  heartaches  of  the  past, 
the  loneliness  of  the  future.  And  weeping  softly, 
and  yet  more  softly,  at  last  she  went  to  sleep. 


CHAPTER  IX 

4 '  "T"  'M  only  home  for  a  day  or  so,  Rose/'  said  Tom 
Blankenship  wistfully.  "  I've  come  to  see  if 

-•-  I  cannot  take  your  forgiveness  with  me  to 
Cuba,  and  your  promise  that  you  have  reconsidered, 
and  will  marry  me  when  I  come  home  again." 

She  stood  very  straight  and  still,  her  cheeks  white, 
her  eyes  dark  with  pain.  She  made  no  answer. 

"  Rose,  as  you  loved  me  once  —  I  know  you  did, 
or  else  you  never  could  have  been  to  me  what  you 
were  —  as  you  loved  me  in  those  old  glad  days,  soften 
your  heart  to  me  now,  and  listen  while  I  plead.  I 
had  not  meant  to  plead,  Rose.  I  was  angry  for  a  long 
while,  and  filled  with  bitter  thoughts.  But  during 
the  winter  I've  had  time  to  miss  you,  and  in  spite  of 
me  I've  softened.  You  are  everything  in  life  to  me, 
my  darling.  If  you  would  but  just  turn  to  me  alone, 
and  let  nothing  intrude  between  us,  I  know  you  would 
give  in  to  me.  You  could  not  help  it,  Rose." 

They  were  standing  in  the  orchard,  among  the  trees 
whose  blossoms  showered  rosy  snow  about  them  both. 
For  Gabe  had  refused  to  allow  Tom  to  enter  the 
house,  even  for  this  one  last  interview. 

"  I  don't  like  to  think  of  you  and  him  alone  in  a 

132 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     133 

room  together,"  he  had  said  with  a  shudder  quite  un- 
like him.  "  Face  him  in  the  open,  my  girl,  where 
he  will  not  dare  attempt  to  coerce  you.  I  won't  deny 
you  the  right  to  speak  to  him,  but  this  much  I  do  ask 
of  you." 

So  she  had  written  him  to  meet  her  in  the  orchard, 
where  workmen  went  to  and  fro  upon  various  tasks 
connected  with  the  trees. 

"  Won't  you  so  much  as  speak  to  me,  Rose  ? "  he 
now  asked  reproachfully.  "  Won't  you  say  one  word 
to  me,  to  send  me  on  my  way  less  bitter,  less  sore- 
hearted?" 

She  drew  herself  up  as  though  she  had  at  last 
reached  a  decision.  "  Listen  to  me,  Tom,"  she  said 
slowly,  turning  her  eyes  full  upon  him.  "  I  shall  not 
preach  or  scold  you  at  this  time.  You  have  my 
prayers,  and  my  sincerest  wishes  for  a  safe  and  speedy 
return.  I've  not  changed  at  all  since  the  last  time 
we  — talked  together,  Tom.  I  still  feel  as  I  felt 
then." 

His  sneering  smile  sprang  readily  to  his  lips. 
"  You've  said  enough,"  he  answered.  "  You  told  me 
then  that  my  life  belonged  to  you.  If  that  is  so,  it  is 
because  I  love  you,  and  not  for  any  other  reason.  If 
I  belong  to  you,  it  is  as  your  lover  and  your  future 
husband.  I  mean  to  win  you  yet,  in  spite  of  every- 
thing—  just  as  in  spite  of  everything  I  kiss  you 
now." 

With  a  fierce  and  passionate  gesture  he  caught  her 


134     THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

in  his  arms  and  pressed  her  lips  cruelly  with  his  own. 
It  was  not  a  lover's  kiss,  because  it  bruised  and  hurt. 
It  was  as  though  his  burning  mouth  had  placed  a 
brand  where  every  one  could  see. 

"  Oh !  "  she  cried,  passing  her  hand  across  her  lips 
as  though  to  wipe  off  the  horror  of  the  kiss.  "  Oh ! 
And  do  you  think  that  is  the  way  to  win  me  back  ? 
If  you  do,  you  don't  know  me.  Another  like  that, 
and  I  should  hate  you,  Tom  Blankenship.  I  should 
—  should  loathe  you." 

He  only  laughed,  pretending  to  take  enjoyment  in 
her  scorn,  and  in  the  curiosity  of  the  workmen  near. 
"  I  wanted  it  to  last  until  I  returned.  Forgive  me, 
Eose.  I  am  mad  about  you.  I  scarcely  knew  what 
I  did,  because  I  am  so  bent  upon  winning  you  that 
I'd  stoop  to  any  means.  Forgive  me.  Wish  me 
luck.  Please,  Eose." 

Although  he  threw  into  his  eyes  all  of  that  coax- 
ing playful  ardor  which  once  had  melted  her,  it  was 
of  no  avail. 

"Good-by,"  she  said  faintly.  "Go!  At  once! 
-Good-by!" 

With  a  despairing  shrug  he  turned  and  strode 
away.  She  remained  where  she  was,  debased,  sore 
and  bewildered,  not  knowing  how  to  face  life  again 
under  this  odd  new  feeling  of  shame.  But  insensibly 
the  quiet  loveliness  of  the  orchard,  the  unceasing  soft 
shower  of  petals  from  the  trees,  soothed  and  calmed 
her.  And  when  another  man  approached  her,  she 


THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA     135 

turned  to  greet  him  quite  naturally,  glad  of  the  added 
sense  of  relief  which  his  coming  gave  her. 

"  Do  you  go  this  afternoon  ?  "  she  asked.  "  Hasn't 
my  father  been  able  to  persuade  you  to  stay  any 
longer  ?  He  has  such  a  fancy  for  you,  Mr.  Fort,  that 
I  don't  see  how  he  is  going  to  get  along  without 
you." 

"  You  make  me  feel  proud  and  glad  when  you  say 
that,"  responded  Homer  gently.  "  Fact  is,  I  have  to 
go  join  my  regiment  in  Illinois,  Miss  Rose." 

Although  he  had  intended  to  surprise  her,  he  was 
not  prepared  for  the  effect  his  speech  had  upon  her. 
She  gave  a  glad  little  cry,  and  her  whole  being  was 
transformed  as  she  began  to  speak  impetuously. 

"  Oh,  Mr.  Fort,  I  am  so  pleased.  You  never  told 
me  —  why,  you  said  you  did  not  believe  in  war  — 

"  I  don't,"  he  assured  her  gravely.  "  Neverthe- 
less, as  you  said,  war  is  upon  us  now.  It  is  not  the 
time  for  abstract  judgment  — " 

"  Did  what  I  said  that  day  make  you  do  what  you 
thought  wrong  ?  "  Her  eager  face  was  overclouded. 
She  could  not  bear  to  add  to  her  other  burdens  that  of 
having  made  this  man  enlist.  But  his  next  words  re- 
assured her. 

"No.  I  had  taken  the  fatal  step  some  time  be- 
fore. However,  you  are  responsible  for  changing  my 
attitude  considerably.  You  made  a  soldier  out  of  a 
pacifist,"  laughed  Homer.  "Don't  you  think  I'll 
look  fine  in  my  regimentals  ? " 


136     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

"  Of  course  you  will.     Every  man  does." 

"  This  makes  us  friends,  doesn't  it  ? "  continued 
Homer,  dropping  his  bantering  air  so  quickly  as  to 
embarrass  her.  She  met  his  eyes  frankly,  however, 
and  held  out  her  hand. 

"  Yes,  it  does." 

"  Wish  me  luck ! "  he  said,  as  his  fingers  clasped 
hers  in  a  firm  pressure. 

It  was  the  same  thing  Tom  had  asked  of  her  so 
short  a  time  ago.  How  differently  she  felt  now. 
Tom  had  made  her  distrustful  and  afraid.  Homer 
Fort  had  unwittingly  brought  her  comfort,  and 
aroused  her  trust.  The  two  men  were  widely  differ- 
ent, and  she  thought  she  loved  Tom  best.  And  yet  — 

"  If  you  get  wounded,"  she  said  suddenly.  "  If 
you  get  wounded,  I  shall  feel  myself  to  blame.  As  a 
pacifist,  you  would  have  been  justified  in  keeping  out 
of  danger.  !Xow  I  fear  you'll  rush  pell-mell  into  the 
thickest  of  the  fights.  Your  hair  is  too  easy  a  mark, 
Mr.  Fort.  Keep  your  cap  on,  for  my  sake." 

As  she  dimpled,  all  at  once  a  playful  merry  girl 
again,  he  put  on  an  injured  air.  "  You,  of  all  per- 
sons, to  make  fun  of  me,"  he  murmured.  "  Well,  I'll 
keep  my  cap  on  —  for  your  sake.  Good-by,  Miss 
Kose." 

"  Good-by,"  she  answered  softly,  almost  tenderly. 
"  Good-by." 

"  And  don't  forget,"  said  Homer  eagerly,  "  that 
there's  very  little  I  wouldn't  do  for  your  sake,  Miss 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     137 

Rose.     All    joking    aside,    there    isn't    anything    I 
wouldn't  try  to  do  —  for  your  sake." 


Down  the  long  dusty  street  they  came,  drums  beat- 
ing, colors  flying,  horses  shying  and  sidestepping  yet 
somehow  keeping  well  in  line  —  a  company  of  gay 
young  blades,  perfectly  equipped,  splendid  as  to 
mounts,  and  eager  and  longing  for  the  fray.  At 
their  head  the  darling  of  the  town,  Tom  Blankenship, 
sat  his  horse  like  an  image,  looking  neither  to  right 
nor  left,  yet  conscious  of  each  admiring  glance  which 
fell  upon  him  as  he  passed.  He  had  forgotten  every- 
thing in  the  excitement  of  the  moment.  It  was  like 
wine  to  him  as  well  as  to  his  comrades.  This  was 
war  —  this  glorious  passage  along  streets  lined  with 
cheering  friends,  every  one  sure  that  these  brave  boys 
would  lick  the  Spanish  to  a  frazzle,  and  return  un- 
scathed, as  bright  and  fresh  as  when  they  started. 
This  was  war  —  this  passionate  loyalty  which  up- 
lifted them  and  bore  them  onward.  This  was  war  — 
this  wonderful  intoxication  composed  of  the  thud  of 
the  horses'  hoofs,  the  throb  of  the  drums,  the  shrill 
notes  of  the  fife,  but  most  of  all  of  the  envy  in  the 
eyes  of  those  men  who  were  not  to  go,  the  worship  in 
the  faces  of  the  women,  the  enthusiasm  everywhere. 

"  A  finer  company  of  men  I  never  saw,"  declared 
Judge  Oglethorpe  to  Gabe  as  they  stood  side  by  side  in 
front  of  the  Budget  office.  "  With  such  a  hero  for  a 


138     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

captain  they'll  come  out  at  the  head  of  the  entire 
army.  Mark  my  words !  " 

"  Tom's  all  right  when  it  comes  down  to  fighting," 
said  Gabe  dryly.  "  And  he  certainly  is  a  handsome 
man,  eh,  Rose  ?  " 

Eose  did  not  answer.  She  was  standing  with 
Madge  upon  the  top  step  of  the  short  flight  which  led 
downward  to  the  sidewalk.  With  arms  intertwined 
the  two  were  absorbed  in  watching  the  approach  of 
the  company.  The  girl's  eyes  were  like  stars.  Her 
bosom  rose  and  fell  stormily  from  her  quick  breath- 
ing. The  color  came  and  went  in  her  cheeks.  Then, 
impelled  to  action  by  the  nearing  horsemen,  she 
slipped  her  arm  from  about  Madge's  waist,  seized  a 
flag  which  had  been  used  to  drape  the  doorway,  and 
waved  it  high  in  the  air. 

Tom  glimpsed  the  blur  of  color  at  his  left  and  wav- 
ered. For  the  first  time  he  turned  his  head,  and  saw 
her  and  saluted.  His  men  all  followed  suit.  Many 
of  them  knew  the  pretty  girl.  Some  of  them  had 
loved  her.  All  of  them  were  touched  by  her  act,  by 
her  utter  abandon  and  forgetfulness  of  self.  It  was 
the  crowning  moment  of  the  day. 

"  For  God  and  for  the  Cubans,"  called  Eose  in  her 
ringing  voice. 

"  Eemeinber  the  Maine  !  "  shouted  a  man  standing 
near. 

Suddenly  without  warning,  without  conscious 
thought  almost,  the  troop  of  soldiers  gave  vent  as  with 


THE    SHELLEYS    OF   GEORGIA     139 

one  voice  to  that  old  Rebel  Yell  which  had  struck 
terror  to  the  heart  of  many  a  Yankee  in  the  Civil  War 
days,  and  which  both  sides  were  to  use  with  telling 
effect  in  the  coming  struggle.  It  rose  and  ebbed  and 
died  away  into  utter  silence.  There  was  something 
presaged  in  it  which  chilled  the  hearts  of  the  by- 
standers —  something  menacing  —  something  omi- 
nous —  but  before  this  feeling  had  time  to  grow  into 
tangibility  the  brief  pause  was  over.  The  throb  of 
the  drums,  the  thud  of  the  hoofs,  the  figure  of  the 
captain  sitting  erect  upon  his  mount,  the  glory  and 
the  glamor  dominated  the  scene  again.  The  glitter- 
ing array  swept  down  the  street  once  more  upon  its 
way  to  Cuba  —  a  way  that  was  to  prove  long  and  dis- 
heartening, and  was  to  end  for  many  of  them  in  the 
camp  of  disease,  for  a  few  in  death  upon  the  battle- 
field, and  for  many  in  wounds  that  maimed  and  tore, 
and  left  them  but  half  men  for  all  the  rest  of  time. 


CHAPTER  X 

AFTER  seemingly  endless  preliminaries  and 
delays,  yet  in  advance  of  the  time  set  for  be- 
ginning active  hostilities,  Shafter  landed  his 
troops  in  Cuba,  took  Las  Guacimas  in  a  reconnoiter- 
ing  expedition  on  the  23rd  of  June,  and  then  began 
his  advance  upon  Santiago. 

This  advance  led  through  a  country  of  wonderful 
beauty,  where  the  vegetation  possessed  all  the  wild 
luxuriance  of  the  tropics.  The  ceiba-tree,  the  ban- 
yan, and  the  royal  palm  spread  proudly  above  masses 
of  plants  and  trailing  vines  through  which  the 
machete  of  the  Cuban  scouts  could  hardly  cut  a  path. 
Underneath  this  wealth  of  growth,  glimpses  could  be 
caught  of  rugged  granite  boulders,  or  deep  yawning 
chasms,  which  the  violent  agencies  forming  the  island 
had  left  in  all  their  primal  ugliness  for  Nature  to 
tenderly  disguise.  So,  under  the  glory  and  excite- 
ment with  which  war  was  invested  by  our  troops, 
lurked  the  horror  of  war  itself,  to  be  unfolded  later. 

From  the  valley  three  steep  terraces  arose,  the  first 
of  which  was  speedily  surmounted,  thanks  to  the  guns 
of  our  navy.  Five  days  were  spent  in  climbing  the 
140 


THE   SHELLEY S    OF    GEORGIA     141 

second  ridge,  and  in  deploying  out  upon  the  broad 
and  undulating  mesa  beyond.  Here  the  Second  Di- 
vision of  the  army  camped  while  waiting  for  the  First 
Division  and  the  dismounted  Cavalry. 

This  table-land  was  high  and  comparatively  dry, 
but  for  at  least  two  miles  ahead  the  trails  descended 
into  low-lying  alluvial  lands,  filled  with  guinea  grass 
and  coffee-bushes  gone  to  seed,  and  bordered  with 
cactus  and  Spanish  bayonet.  In  the  distance  rose  the 
heights  of  San  Juan,  the  third  step  up  to  Santiago. 

The  struggle  for  bare  existence  among  the  soldiers 
now  became  acute.  They  were  lost  in  the  jungle, 
their  only  connection  with  the  world  three  mule-trains 
which  crept  endlessly  back  and  forth.  The  men 
"  rustled  "  diligently  for  the  hardtack,  coffee  without 
sugar,  and  the  bits  of  bacon  rind  which  were  scarcely 
fit  to  clean  their  rifles,  much  less  to  satisfy  their 
hunger.  The  long-promised  canned  tomatoes  were 
the  principal  topic  of  talk.  Would  they  come  soon, 
or  wouldn't  they?  No  bets  were  made  upon  this 
point,  however,  for  in  the  present  situation  money 
was  valueless,  and  treated  with  merited  scorn. 

The  purpose  which  had  brought  the  troops  to  Cuba 
now  seemed  forgotten.  Some  of  the  dog-tents  still 
bore  mildewed  signs  reading,  "  No  War  Talk  Here," 
but  these  were  quite  unnecessary.  There  was  not 
only  no  war  talk,  but  there  was  no  war  attitude,  and 
when  the  familiar  command,  "  Cannoneers  For- 
ward !  "  at  last  rang  out,  it  startled  the  army  into  a 


142     THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

movement  for  which  it  was  mentally  and  physically 
unprepared. 

On  the  night  of  the  thirtieth  of  June,  the  Second 
Division  bivouacked  upon  the  road  to  El  Caney.  It 
was  in  some  ways  an  infinitely  pathetic  sight  —  those 
thousands  of  men  and  boys,  clad  mostly  in  flannel 
shirts  and  trousers,  dirty  and  ragged  and  unkempt, 
going  placidly  to  sleep  upon  the  open  highway.  Dur- 
ing the  hours  of  darkness  they  lay  everywhere,  singly 
or  in  groups,  profoundly  unconscious  that  before  an- 
other night  fell,  death  would  have  taken  terrific  toll 
of  their  number. 

At  last  the  full  tropical  moon  rose  high  enough  to 
shed  its  rays  upon  the  scene.  Those  in  the  shadows 
of  the  palm  trees  slept  on.  Those  whose  eyes  were 
protected  by  their  arms  also  remained  unaffected  by 
the  effulgent  light.  But  here  and  there  a  careless 
sleeper,  lying  outstretched  with  face  upturned,  stirred 
and  woke  from  his  dreams  of  home  and  satisfying 
food,  and  sought  the  shade  in  the  hope  of  further  rest. 
One  of  these,  with  a  muttered  oath  at  his  rude  recall 
from  the  first  real  slumber  he  had  known  for  days, 
rose,  walked  down  the  road,  and  chose  a  seat  upon  the 
trunk  of  a  fallen  palm. 

In  this  roughly  clad  fellow,  whose  whole  appear- 
ance testified  to  the  hardships  he  had  just  undergone, 
the  folks  at  Salem,  Georgia,  would  have  had  some 
difficulty  in  recognizing  Tom  Blankenship.  His 
flannel  shirt  was  open  at  the  throat.  His  face  was 


THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA      143 

unshaven.  His  cheeks  were  thin  and  his  eyes  hollow 
and  wild.  The  change  in  him  was  not  only  ascribable 
to  the  past  few  weeks,  but  to  his  state  of  mind. 

Unfortunately  for  the  man,  he  could  not  keep  from 
brooding  upon  what  had  transpired  during  the  year 
before  his  enlistment  in  the  army.  His  last  inter- 
view with  Kose,  while  in  it  he  had  endeavored  to  ap- 
pear confident  that  in  the  end  she  must  yield  to  his 
claims,  had  really  convinced  him  that  she  woulo^never 
change.  In  his  self-conceit  he  had  thought  a  little 
neglect  would  make  her  realize  his  value,  and  so  had 
gone  away.  When  he  returned  it  was  to  find  her 
gone.  During  his  short  spring  absence  she  had  re- 
turned to  Salem.  So  Fate  had  tricked  him  all  the 
winter  through,  except  for  that  one  short  moment  in 
the  orchard,  before  his  company  left  for  its  Florida 
camp.  And  that  one  moment  had  intensified  the 
painful  memories  of  the  preceding  fall.  It  had 
trebled  the  emotions  those  memories  aroused. 

In  Tampa  he  had  grown  to  welcome  the  prospect  of 
going  to  Cuba,  more  and  more  as  a  chance  for  self- 
forgetfulness.  Vacillating  between  a  mad  desire  to 
die  upon  the  field,  and  an  equal  hunger  to  live,  re- 
venge himself  on  Captain  Gabe,  and  humble  Eose, 
torn  by  the  blackest  of  emotions,  and  by  a  conflicting 
longing  daily  growing  stronger  —  to  win  again  from 
the  eyes  of  the  girl  that  look  of  love  and  trust  with 
which  she  had  once  honored  him  —  the  man  was  not 
accountable  for  his  actions.  Companioned  by  self 


144     THE   SHELLEYS    OF   GEORGIA 

justification,  befriended  by  jealousy  and  thwarted 
passion,  fed  on  consuming  rage  and  hate,  and  as  yet 
absorbed  in  the  contemplation  of  his  own  bitter  disap- 
pointment, small  wonder  that  he  had  changed  from 
the  easy-going,  reckless  and  confident  Tom  Blanken- 
ship  of  former  days  in  Salem. 

On  this  night  fatigue  had  closed  his  eyes  for  a 
brief  respite.  Awake  and  somewhat  rested,  he  knew 
he  should  not  sleep  again,  and  so  he  sought  the  silent 
shadow  and  the  seat  upon  the  log.  Then,  as  his 
thoughts  began  to  whirl  about  the  self -same  cycle  of 
events,  a  hand  fell  on  his  shoulder,  and  he  looked  up 
into  the  earnest  eyes  of  a  young  lieutenant  —  a  man 
so  gentle  and  so  boyish  that  he  had  been  affectionately 
dubbed  "  The  Kid." 

"  I  wouldn't  say  one  word  to  you,"  the  Kid  now  de- 
clared wistfully,  "  if  it  wasn't  that  I  like  you  more 
than  any  other  man  in  the  troop."  In  the  face  of 
this  astounding  statement,  he  released  his  hold  of 
Tom's  shoulder  and  took  a  seat  beside  him. 

"What  do  you  mean?"  growled  Tom.  "You 
hardly  know  me.  I've  been  in  the  devil  of  a  humor 
for  the  past  two  months.  I  frighten  myself  some- 
times, so  I  know  that  I  must  frighten  others,  too. 
They  look  at  me  askance,  and  whisper  about  me 
among  themselves.  !N"ot  one  has  dared  to  speak 
freely  to  me  but  you.  What  do  you  want  ?  " 

The  Kid  flushed  a  little  at  this  surly  speech,  end- 
ing with  the  abrupt  demand.  Then,  "  To-morrow  we 


THE   SHELLEYS    OF   GEORGIA      145 

are  going  to  fight  —  to-day,  rather,  since  it  is  long 
past  midnight  now.  Some  of  us  may  lose  our  lives, 
and  many  will  probably  be  wounded.  When  I  saw 
you  rise  and  come  off  here  alone,  I  felt  that  I  must 
speak  to  you.  I  won't  ask  you  to  tell  me  what  is 
troubling  you  • —  but  I  thought  if  you  knew  that  you 
have  the  liking  and  the  sympathy  of  all  the  boys,  in 
spite  of  the  distance  at  which  you  have  held  them, 
you  might  go  into  battle  in  a  better  spirit.  If  I  am 
wrong,  forgive  me." 

The  simplicity  of  the  words,  backed  by  the  young, 
handsome  face,  stirred  Tom  profoundly.  And  in  a 
curiously  softened  manner  he  now  spoke  to  the  boy. 
"  Have  you  a  sweetheart  at  home  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Of  course  I  have,"  flashed  the  Kid  with  a  joyous 
smile. 

"  Suppose  she  spurned  you  on  the  eve  of  your  de- 
parture," pursued  Tom,  too  self-absorbed  to  keep 
from  the  subject  of  his  wrongs.  "  How  would  you 
feel  to-night  ? " 

"  That  would  depend,"  answered  the  Kid  wisely, 
"  on  the  reasons  why  she  did  this  thing." 

"I  don't  mind  telling  you,"  said  Tom,  still  in 
the  same  softened  mood,  and  without  the  slightest 
hesitancy  he  laid  his  case  before  the  boy. 

The  result  disconcerted  him.  He  had  expected  a 
little  approbation,  certainly  some  admiration,  and  a 
large  measure  of  sympathy.  He  had  not  looked  for 
condemnation,  yet  this  was  what  he  now  read  in  the 


146     THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

eyes  of  his  listener,  and  it  surprised  him,  coming 
from  a  man. 

"  She  must  be  very  noble,"  the  Kid  now  said 
aloud.  "  She  must  have  put  aside  all  thought  of  self 
in  trying  to  make  you  understand." 

"  I  have  not  said  I  was  guilty  of  the  things  she 
charged  me  with,"  defended  Tom,  though  a  moment 
before  he  had  regarded  himself  as  anything  but 
guilty. 

"You  don't  need  to  say  so.  An  innocent  man 
would  be  less  violent,  and  less  resentful." 

"  Where  did  you  learn  such  wisdom  ? "  mocked 
Tom.  "Well,  yes,  the  child  was  mine,  I  believe. 
The  woman  had  been  wronged  by  me  —  is  that  the 
way  you  moral  prigs  speak  of  such  affairs?  Now 
cast  me  off  and  go  back  to  your  comrades.  I  am  be- 
neath your  notice." 

"  Not  so,"  asserted  the  Kid  warmly.  "  You  are 
misguided.  Her  influence  will  win  you  over  in  the 
end." 

"Nonsense,"  sneered  Tom.  "Do  you  claim 
prophetic  faculties  ? " 

"  No,  and  yet,  upon  the  verge  of  battle,  I  do  be- 
lieve a  new  insight  comes  to  us  at  times,"  said  the 
Kid  so  earnestly  that  Tom  was  silenced.  "  Some- 
way I  feel  that  in  the  coming  fight,  or  later  in  some 
scene  which  will  be  the  outcome  of  it,  you  will  be 
brought  to  face  the  falsity  of  your  position,  and  will 
ask  nothing  better  than  to  make  amends.  We  men," 


THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA     147 

continued  the  Kid  proudly,  unaware  of  Tom's  smile 
at  this  inclusive  statement.  "We  men,  with  our 
sense  of  special  privilege,  and  our  chivalry  which 
claims  superiority  for  woman  while  yielding  her  con- 
tempt—  we  are  too  apt  to  underrate  her  power. 
This  girl  you  love  will  win  you  over  yet.  See  if  she 
doesn't." 

So  saying  he  rose,  laid  his  hand  again  affection- 
ately upon  Tom's  shoulder  and  bade  him  good-night. 
"  Try  to  get  more  sleep,"  he  begged.  "  You'll  feel 
the  lack  of  it  to-morrow." 

"  To  hell  with  to-morrow,"  muttered  Tom. 

The  Kid  did  not  apparently  hear  but  continued 
down  the  road,  stepping  carefully  across  the  sleep- 
ing figures  prostrate  in  the  dust,  toward  the  spot  he 
had  vacated  to  follow  Tom.  The  latter  watched  him 
with  a  covert  smile.  He  had  already  regretted  his 
confidences,  although  admitting  that  they  had  brought 
him  some  relief.  But  he  had  not  chosen  his  hearer 
wisely.  The  Kid  quite  evidently  thought  purity 
of  morals  admirable  in  men  as  well  as  women.  This 
attitude  Tom  set  down  to  sheer  boyishness,  giving 
it  the  contempt  which  he  felt  it  merited.  It  was 
something  the  fellow  would  outgrow. 

And  then  again  his  heart  softened,  as  he  remem- 
bered the  frank  earnestness  of  the  boy,  and  what 
he  had  said  about  all  the  fellows  in  the  camp  liking 
him,  Tom  Blankenship.  Tom's  arrogant  self-confi- 
dence lifted  its  head  again.  People  had  always 


148     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

liked  him,  whatever  he  did.  They  liked  him  even 
now.  "  The  King  could  do  no  wrong." 

And  yet  —  "  She'll  win  you  over  in  the  end," 
had  prophesied  the  Kid.  Well,  he  was  wrong. 
Rose  would  never,  never  win.  He,  Tom,  would 
stake  his  life  on  that,  for  he  meant  to  win  and  on 
his  own  terms,  too.  So  hardening  his  heart  with 
repetitions  of  his  vengeful  purpose,  he  sat  on  the  log 
until  the  coming  of  the  dawn.  The  poisonous  mists 
arose  from  the  Valley  to  circle  round  his  silent  fig- 
ure. At  daybreak,  when  his  companions  stirred  to 
action,  he  still  was  sitting  there  alone. 

The  Second  Massachusetts  Volunteers  descended 
first  into  the  Valley,  where  it  was  still  night.  From 
the  heights  Tom  watched  the  shadows  flee  before  the 
rising  sun,  until  the  village  of  El  Caney  floated  out 
like  a  mirage  under  the  clear  light.  It  was  so 
peaceful,  with  the  smoke  rising  gently  from  the  chim- 
neys of  the  yellow-walled,  red-roofed  houses,  that  for 
a  moment  he  felt  the  war  must  be  a  dream.  And 
then  he  started  as  a  sharp  command  to  fire  sent  the 
first  shot  crashing  down  into  the  sleeping  town. 
With  a  cry  of  impatient  eagerness  he  ran  forward 
and  rejoined  his  troop.  He  thirsted  for  the  battle, 
and  scarcely  waited  for  his  orders  before  he  plunged 
himself  and  his  men  recklessly  into  it. 

For  hours  he  was  dominated  by  this  lust  for  war. 
The  bombardment  of  the  field  artillery  was  like  the 
throbbing  of  a  gigantic  heart  which  gave  his  blood 


THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA     149 

barbarous  impulses.  He  saw  men  fall  about  him, 
without  bending  a  thought  upon  the  fact  that  they 
were  wounded,  perhaps  dying,  perhaps  already  dead. 
As  his  own  regiment  crept  doggedly  nearer  and 
nearer,  and  was  able  to  return  the  devastating  fire  of 
the  enemy,  he  put  every  faculty  upon  the  work  in 
hand,  gloating  over  each  volley  fired  by  his  men,  and 
cheering  them  madly  on.  So  passed  the  time  until 
midday. 

It  was  now  intolerably  hot,  and  the  sun,  directly 
overhead,  seemed  stationary  in  the  sky.  With  the 
rest  Tom  crossed  San  Juan  creek,  a  short  half-mile 
below  the  heights  from  which  the  Spaniards  poured 
their  shots  unceasingly.  Well  hidden  in  the  jungle 
along  the  line  of  march  Spanish  sharpshooters  also 
picked  off  man  after  man  from  the  rear.  Some  few 
faltered  under  this  nerve-racking  attack.  Tom 
never  hesitated  for  a  moment,  but  by  his  rush  on- 
ward inspired  not  only  his  own  men,  but  those  of 
other  troops. 

Formation  was  now  no  longer  possible,  and  as 
they  plunged  stubbornly  ahead,  regiments  became 
inextricably  mixed.  It  was  at  this  time  that  Tom 
saw  the  Kid  again,  with  a  face  so  distorted  by  fear 
as  to  be  hardly  recognizable  for  the  calm,  earnest 
countenance  which  he  had  last  seen  in  the  moonlight 
a  few  hours  before.  This  fear-ridden  grimy  visage 
gave  Tom  his  first  reaction  from  the  passion  for 
fighting  which  had  held  him  so  completely. 


150     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

The  men  were  now  deploying  into  the  jungle  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  creek.  Inspired  by  a  mix- 
ture of  emotions  not  the  least  of  which  was  contempt 
for  the  Kid  thus  blanching  under  fire,  Tom  turned 
upon  the  open  bank  and  pressed  close  enough  to 
speak.  At  first  the  young  Lieutenant  did  not  un- 
derstand, but  stared  into  Tom's  eyes  with  an  ex- 
pression so  agonized  and  so  distracted  that  even  Tom 
was  moved. 

"  Since  you  are  so  afraid,"  had  been  his  sneering 
speech,  '•  why  don't  you  say  you're  sick  and  fall  be- 
hind ? "  This,  as  he  repeated  it,  he  felt  constrained 
to  turn  into  an  entreaty. 

But  the  Kid,  now  comprehending,  replied  with 
stiff  lips.  "  I'm  sweating  blood  with  fear ;  but  I'll 
go  ahead  all  right  and  keep  my  men  in  line,  too, 
never  fear." 

And  so  he  went  on  into  the  undergrowth,  with  his 
hundred  or  so  of  men,  and  Tom  for  the  first  time 
perceived  that  courage  could  be  of  a  rarer  sort  than 
his  own  temporary  mad  oblivion  to  danger.  Eespect 
leaped  into  his  heart  for  the  boy  who  was  born  a 
coward,  and  yet  by  sheer  force  of  will  could  drive 
himself  onward  at  the  head  of  his  command.  This 
was  a  man  whose  opinions  counted.  His  words  re- 
turned again,  and,  as  Tom  too  pressed  forward  up 
the  slope,  they  repeated  themselves  to  him  with  new 
and  more  poignant  meaning. 

But  the  reaction,  once  begun,   continued  merci- 


THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA     151 

lesslj.  Tom  tasted  weariness,  physical  and  mental. 
There  had  been  no  breakfast,  nor  time  for  hunting 
food  at  noon.  The  water  had  been  gone  from  his 
canteen  long  ago,  and  he  dared  not  fill  it  from  the 
fetid  creek.  The  fight  had  degenerated  into  craw- 
ling through  the  jungle,  with  volleys  coming  both 
from  front  and  rear.  Tom  crept  on  doggedly,  with 
head  bent  down,  but  he  suddenly  became  conscious 
of  the  helpless,  writhing  men  upon  all  sides.  Their 
positions,  at  first  seeming  grotesque,  now  took  on 
the  terrible  significance  of  suffering,  and  Tom  sick- 
ened at  the  sight.  But  as  too  much  horror  dulls 
the  sensibilities,  so  in  turn  this  feeling  passed,  and 
he  was  able  to  look  indifferently  about,  and  to  fling 
a  casual  word  or  two  of  encouragement  to  the  sol- 
diers able  to  creep  back  to  the  temporary  and  wholly 
inadequate  field  hospital  in  the  rear. 

And  then  among  the  dead  he  spied  a  face  he  knew. 
It  was  the  Kid's,  his  look  of  fear  all  gone  and  re- 
placed by  a  smile  of  perfect  peace.  He  lay  in  a 
bunch  of  guinea  grass,  almost  as  though  he  were 
asleep.  Tom  delayed  long  enough  to  make  sure  that 
all  was  over.  And  when  he  felt  the  tears  creep 
down  his  blackened  cheeks,  he  was  quite  unashamed. 
His  confidences  were  safely  locked  in  the  still  boyish 
heart  which  had  been  true  to  its  master's  highest 
ideals  unto  the  very  end.  There  was  no  time  to  in- 
dulge in  sorrow  or  regret,  and  with  a  silent  good-by 
Tom  turned  and  crawled  on  wearily. 


152     THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

They  had  reached  the  tall  sugar-cane  and  were 
deploying  to  gain  the  partial  shelter  of  a  little  knoll 
about  five  hundred  yards  from  the  heights  which 
the  First  and  Third  Brigades  were  soon  to  storm, 
when  Tom,  thinking  to  save  his  men  a  little  from 
the  ceaseless  storm  of  bullets,  rose  to  his  feet  and 
shouted  to  them  to  run  forward  with  him  to  safety. 
As  the  words  left  his  lips  he  staggered,  whirled  about 
and  then  fell  prone.  He  had  been  wounded  in  the 
head  by  a  shell,  a  fragment  of  which  also  struck  him 
directly  between  the  eyes.  The  glories  of  the  charge 
and  final  victory  were  not  for  him,  and  through  the 
remainder  of  that  long  hot  afternoon  he  lay  uncon- 
scious in  the  sugar  cane. 

Towards  evening  a  light  shower  fell,  and  the  rain 
upon  his  face  brought  him  to  himself.  Seeing  his 
head  stir  restlessly  upon  the  ground,  a  soldier  pass- 
ing by,  stopped  and  gave  him  to  drink  from  his  can- 
teen. 

"  Is  it  night  ?  "  Tom  asked  in  odd  thick  tones. 

The  soldier  did  not  answer,  being  either  indiffer- 
ent or  too  moved  by  pity,  and  so  Tom  took  his  silence 
for  assent.  He  felt  very  tired  but  quite  calm.  The 
passion  in  his  brain  had  burnt  itself  out,  and  peace- 
fully he  went  to  sleep. 

The  night  lasted  long.  Tom  slept  and  waked 
again,  and  still  the  darkness  held.  He  heard  occa- 
sional footsteps  passing,  and  called,  but  he  had  diffi- 
culty in  managing  his  tongue,  which  was  parched 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF    GEORGIA      153 

and  swollen.  He  fancied  himself  unseen,  because 
of  the  enveloping  darkness,  and  did  not  know  that 
those  with  a  better  chance  for  life  were  being  cared 
for  first.  Conscious  of  a  dull  grinding  pain  in  his 
head,  he  tried  to  raise  a  hand,  but  could  not.  So 
time  passed,  interminably  long,  until  he  began  to 
wonder  sillily  if  the  Spanish  guns  had  not  shot  the 
sun  down  out  of  the  sky,  so  that  the  night  would  last 
forever. 

At  last  he  heard  rough  voices  just  above  him  and 
felt  a  hand  upon  his  heart.  He  moaned  feebly  for 
water,  which  soon  trickled  through  his  lips.  He 
asked  the  time  and  was  told  that  it  was  Sunday  after- 
noon, the  third  of  July.  The  fact  carried  no  im- 
pression to  his  brain.  They  might  as  well  have  said 
it  was  ten  years  ahead,  for  all  he  knew  of  time. 
And  then  they  lifted  him,  and  the  shock  of  the  sud- 
den movement  jarred  him  into  unconsciousness 
again. 

Another  interval  and  he  awoke  once  more.  It 
was  still  night.  He  was  being  jolted  over  a  rough 
road,  continually  coming  into  collision  with  other 
men  who  shared  the  wagon  bed  with  him.  Some 
of  them  screamed  in  their  agony,  and  others  fought 
and  struggled,  delirious  from  long  exposure.  They 
were  being  taken  to  the  Division  Hospital  for  treat- 
ment, but  Tom  did  not  know  that.  He  thought  him- 
self in  hell,  and  wondered  idly  if  it  would  always  be 
as  easy  to  endure  as  this,  for  he  was  conscious  of  no 


154     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

pain  —  only  that  pain  was  crouching  near,  a  great, 
black,  ghoulish  shape.  And  he  wondered,  too,  if  in 
hell  there  were  no  sunlight. 

Another  interval,  and  he  lay  upon  the  ground. 
He  knew  this  because  of  the  rough  grass  beneath 
him.  He  was  almost  naked  for,  in  common  with 
others  similarly  exposed  to  the  weather,  his  clothes 
had  rotted  so  that  they  tore  apart,  and  there  was 
nothing  with  which  to  replace  them.  He  now  be- 
gan to  suffer  from  a  cold  so  piercing  that  it  seemed 
to  attack  his  very  heart.  And  still  it  was  night, 
long,  black,  interminable  night. 

Some  one  stooped  over  him,  and  a  hand  fell  on  his 
wrist.  "  When  will  the  day  come  ?  "  he  asked  of  this 
some  one,  whom  he  felt  to  be  kind  and  sympathetic 
from  the  pressure  on  his  pulse. 

"  My  good  fellow,"  said  a  pleasant  and  somehow 
a  familiar  masculine  voice.  "  The  day  has  half  gone. 
It  is  noon  now." 

"  There  has  been  no  day,"  protested  Tom. 
"  There  has  been  no  day." 

Ignoring  this  protest,  which  was,  indeed,  so  low 
and  mumbled  as  to  be  incoherent,  the  pleasant  voice 
asked  gravely  if  he  wished  to  send  a  message  to  his 
friends.  He  considered  for  a  moment.  Had  he 
friends  ?  And  then  in  his  sick  brain  a  picture 
formed  of  Kose,  with  a  baby  on  her  knee,  and  the 
firelight  playing  on  them  both.  It  was  a  pretty  pic- 
ture and  he  smiled  and  whispered  that  Rose  —  Eose 


THE    SHELLEY S    OF    GEORGIA      155 

—  and  then  again  fell  silent,  to  concentrate  upon  this 
vision  of  her. 

"  Rose  who  ?  "  The  pleasant  voice  intruded  on 
his  dreams. 

"  Rose.     Tell  her  I  love  her." 

"  Rose  who  ?  "  Again  the  voice,  insistently,  trying 
to  hold  his  thoughts. 

"Rose,"  he  answered  readily.  "Rose  Shelley. 
Salem,  Georgia."  And  then,  wistfully,  "  Do  you 
think  she  will  forgive  me  ?  " 

"  I  know  she  will,"  the  kind  voice  answered  in  an 
odd,  interested  sort  of  way.  "  Good  God,  man !  But 
it's  a  shame  to  let  you  die !  " 

The  hand  then  withdrew  itself  from  Tom's  limp 
wrist,  but  its  owner  could  not  keep  his  thoughts  from 
the  wounded  man.  Not  that  he  knew  it  was  Tom, 
for  by  now  Tom  was  simply  a  case  —  a  very  serious 
case.  He  had  been  brought  in  and  laid  upon  the 
surgeon's  table  for  examination  some  time  ago. 
There  the  surgeon  had  looked  him  over,  and  had  then 
asked  sternly,  "  Why  do  you  bring  a  man  to  me  in 
such  a  condition  as  this  ?  " 

"Because,  Major,"  the  contract  surgeon  had  an- 
swered hopefully,  "I  thought  we  might  save  his 
life  by  operating." 

The  Major  had  looked  interested.  "A  pretty 
case!  It  is  true  we  might  operate,  but  do  you  im- 
agine he  could  recover  from  the  shock  of  it  on  hard- 
tack and  rancid  pork  ?  " 


156     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

To  this  bitter  speech  the  contract  surgeon  made  no 
reply. 

"  Anyhow,"  the  Major  had  continued,  "  we  can't 
waste  time  on  doubtful  cases." 

And  so  Tom  had  been  carried  over  to  the  ceiba- 
tree,  and  left  to  die. 

Here,  in  a  semicircle,  lay  the  hopeless  cases. 
Some  were  babbling  the  names  of  their  dear  ones. 
Others  were  falling  quietly  into  their  last  long  sleep. 
Still  others  were  struggling  valiantly  for  life  against 
odds  too  heavy  for  them.  And  here  Tom  lay,  vacil- 
lating between  consciousness  and  unconsciousness, 
while  the  time  passed  on. 

Among  those  whose  sympathies  were  not  too 
blunted  by  horror  to  make  them  quite  indifferent, 
was  a  ragged  man  with  freckles  and  a  shock  of  car- 
roty hair.  On  this  hair  he  wore  a  cap  shot  through 
and  through  by  bullet  holes,  which  he  found  time  to 
examine  anxiously  now  and  then.  Asked  why  he 
looked  it  over,  he  answered  calmly  that  he  was  won- 
dering how  best  to  mend  it,  lest  his  hair  get  sun- 
burned, and  joined  readily  in  the  laugh  he  thus  un- 
failingly aroused.  But  though  disposed  to  treat 
every  incident  with  levity,  he  was  all  the  time  work- 
ing quietly  and  efficiently  among  the  wounded.  It 
was  he  who  had  gone  over  to  the  hopeless  cases,  to 
alleviate  a  little  of  the  suffering  crowded  mercilessly 
together  there,  and  it  was  his  hand  which  had  felt 
Tom's  pulse.  His  kindly  eye  had  taken  note  of  the 


THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA     157 

first-aid  bandage,  hurriedly  replaced  after  the  sur- 
geon's examination,  and  it  was  he  who  exclaimed  so 
earnestly,  "  Good  God,  man !  But  it's  a  shame  to 
let  you  die."  His  name  was  Homer  Fort. 

Homer  could  not  get  this  particular  hopeless  case 
out  of  his  mind.  He  did  not  recognize  the  fellow 
as  Tom  Blankenship,  but  realized  now  that  it  was 
a  friend  of  Eose  Shelley's,  who  had  thus  interested 
him.  Later  he  returned  to  the  ceiba-tree,  there  to 
find  the  dying  man  muttering  to  himself  that  day 
would  never  come,  and  where  on  earth  was  Eose? 
This  further  roused  his  sympathies,  so  that  he  made 
up  his  mind  to  a  final  effort  to  save  the  wounded  sol- 
dier. 

There  had  come  a  lull  in  the  work  of  the  surgeons, 
due  to  the  fact  that  the  last  wagon-load  had  been 
gone  over,  and  the  next  had  not  yet  arrived.  Homer 
approached  the  surgeon  major  who  had  passed  judg- 
ment upon  the  case  in  question. 

"  Major,"  he  drawled  whimsically,  "  there's  a 
fellow  over  there  among  the  hopeless  cases  who  is  as 
stubborn  as  a  mule.  He  just  won't  die." 

The  surgeon  looked  up  aggressively,  inclined  to 
resent  this  interference  with  his  brief  moment  of 
rest.  But  as  he  encountered  the  guileless  blue  eyes 
of  Homer,  he  found  himself  smiling  in  response  to 
their  honest  friendliness,  and  answered  cordially, 
"  That  so  2  Let's  have  another  look  at  him."  To 
his  own  surprise,  he  walked  across  to  the  ceiba-tree, 


158     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

guided  by  Fort,  and  bent  over  Tom's  prostrate  body. 

"  Friend  of  yours  ?  "  he  now  inquired,  as  he  took 
off  the  first-aid  bandage. 

"No,"  answered  Homer.  "But  he  is  a  plucky 
devil,  and  somehow  I  couldn't  help  liking  him  and 
wanting  to  help  him." 

"  Has  he  said  anything  ?  " 

"  Spoke  of  a  girl  at  home,  in  Georgia." 

"  Are  you  from  Georgia,  too  ?  " 

"  No.     Just  a  volunteer  from  Chicago." 

"  Your  name  ?  " 

"  Homer  Fort." 

"  Well,  Homer  Fort,  I'll  give  the  man  a  chance. 
Get  an  orderly  to  help  you,  and  shift  him  over  to  the 
table.  I'll  do  my  best.  And  don't  thank  anything 
but  your  own  powers  of  persuasion.  If  you  told  the 
devil  Hell  was  Heaven,  he'd  believe  you,  and  get  out 
to  make  room  for  the  saints.  Now  then  — " 

Homer  had  beckoned  to  an  orderly  who  came  run- 
ning across  the  grass,  and  poor  Tom  was  flung  again 
upon  the  table,  very  much  like  a  sack  of  meal.  The 
operation  was  performed,  hastily  but  well,  the  wound 
was  dressed,  and  with  a  hope  expressed  that  the  man 
might  live,  and  not  be  blind  if  he  did  live,  Tom,  still 
a  case,  was  laid  again  upon  the  grass,  but  this  time 
with  those  waiting  removal  to  the  hospital  at  Siboney. 

There  Homer  Fort  kept  watch  of  him,  and  when 
his  consciousness  returned,  was  ready  with  water, 
into  which  he  had  put  a  few  precious  drops  of  lime 


THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA      159 

juice.  Tom  signified  that  this  was  good,  and  then 
Homer,  leaning  very  close,  asked  softly,  "  Is  Rose 
Shelley  your  sweetheart  ?  " 

"  I  don't  think  so,"  replied  Tom.  li  I'm  not  quite 
sure.  Sometimes  I  could  swear  she  isn't,  and  then 
again  I  could  swear  she  is.  What  do  you  think  ?  " 

"  I  think  if  she  were  you'd  be  quite  sure  about  it," 
answered  Homer  with  a  curiously  lightened  heart. 
"  What's  your  name,  anyhow  ?  " 

"  Blankenship.     Tom  Blankenship." 

"  Oh  —  ho."  Homer  beamed  with  satisfaction. 
When  he  had  entered  Gabe's  office,  on  the  morning  of 
the.  Captain's  close  call,  he  had  seen  signs  of  tension 
in  the  group,  and  Tom's  sulky  withdrawal  had  been 
significant  that  all  was  not  plain  sailing  for  him  with 
Rose.  Tom  then,  had  been  a  different-looking  man 
from  what  he  was  now,  and  Fort  could  not  help  con- 
trasting that  handsome,  well-dressed  fellow,  with 
the  poor  wreck  of  humanity  to  whom  he  was  now  min- 
istering. What  would  Rose  say,  if  she  knew? 
Would  she  be  only  sorry,  or  would  she  feel  that 
deeper,  more  vital  grief  inspired  by  love?  Homer 
was  not  at  all  certain,  even  yet,  but  in  any  case  he  was 
man  enough  to  feel  thankful  that  he  had  been  drawn 
to  Tom  sufficiently  to  save  him.  If  he  lived,  Rose 
would  be  grateful.  Another  step  forward  in  her  esti- 
mation, thought  Homer  gleefully,  and  this  comfort- 
ing thought  stayed  with  him  when  later  he  was  or- 
dered again  to  the  front. 


CHAPTER  XI 

THE  blossoms  were  now  gone  from  the  trees 
in  Salem,  and  the  green  fruit  was  forming 
splendidly.     The  laborers  were  busy  pick- 
ing off  the  smaller  peaches,  to  make  room  for  the  de- 
velopment of  the  good  crop.     This  picked  fruit  was 
not  wasted,  however,  as  it  made  a  good  ration  for  the 


The  orchard,  therefore,  was  still  a  scene  of  bustle 
and  activity,  visited  constantly  by  Captain  Gabe,  who 
was  jubilant  over  the  prospects.  But  this  joy  of  his, 
which  would  ordinarily  have  transcended  everything, 
was  wistful  and  subdued,  for  there  were  many  things 
upon  the  Captain's  mind.  Himself  a  veteran  of  the 
Civil  War,  he  recollected  all  too  keenly  the  hardships 
of  those  days,  and  his  heart  went  out  to  the  boys  in 
Cuba  as  it  could  never  have  done  had  he  been  less  ac- 
quainted with  all  they  were  enduring  and  must  still 
endure.  Perhaps  his  sympathy  with  their  sufferings 
lay  at  the  bottom  of  his  consent  to  let  Rose  go  to  Cuba 
as  a  nurse. 

It  was  true  that  it  had  taken  Rose  a  long  time  to 
win  this  consent,  and  twice  already,  when  she  had 
been  given  an  opportunity  of  becoming  one  of  a  band 
160 


THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA     161 

of  nurses,  she  had  refused  for  her  father's  sake.  She 
had  but  just  come  home,  he  said.  Surely  she  loved 
them  well  enough  to  tarry  just  a  little  while.  What 
would  he  do  again  without  his  Rose  ?  It  was  begin- 
ning to  look  as  though  she  must  give  up  all  her  hopes 
of  helping  at  the  front,  when  news  came  which  altered 
everything. 

It  was  Tuesday,  the  fifth  of  July.  Minnie  had 
come  down  from  the  hills  the  week  before  —  the  Shel- 
leys  kept  her  with  them  except  for  short  visits  home  — 
and  was  sitting  this  afternoon,  with  one 'eye  on  "  li'l 
Tawm,"  who  was  crawling  about  the  room  on  mis- 
chief bent,  and  the  other  on  Rose,  who  was  half-heart- 
edly practicing  on  the  bandaging  of  wounds.  Her  in- 
telligent eyes  missed  nothing  of  Rose's  movements, 
and  her  fingers,  long  since  grown  deft,  itched  to  per- 
form the  same  feats  with  the  shapely  rolls  of  linen 
and  the  dummy  figure.  "  Let  me  try,"  she  said  at 
last.  "  I  know  I  could  do  it  almost  as  well  as  that, 
Rose,  even  though  I  never  was  taught  how." 

This  made  Rose  smile,  and  yield  her  place  to  Min- 
nie. The  latter  found  the  task  much  harder  than 
she  had  thought,  and  the  two  soon  became  absorbed, 
Rose  in  teaching,  and  Minnie  in  learning,  what  she 
discovered  to  be  a  series  of  complicated  problems. 

"  I  think  you  have  done  wonders,"  beamed  Rose, 
when  the  lesson  was  over  at  last.  "  And  will  you  just 
look  and  see  what  '  li'l  Tawm '  has  accomplished  ?  " 

In  truth,  for  a  baby,  the  result  was  noteworthy. 


162     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

He  had  found  a  roll  of  linen,  fallen  unobserved  upon 
the  floor,  and  with  consummate  skill  and  ingenuity, 
he  had  proceeded  to  wind  it  about  his  own  person  and 
an  adjacent  table  leg. 

"  I  prophesy  nothing  less  than  a  doctor-of-medi- 
cine  out  of  him,"  exclaimed  Rose,  when  they  discov- 
ered that  the  only  way  of  getting  the  young  rascal  out 
with  any  degree  of  haste  was  to  cut  the  bandage  in  a 
dozen  places. 

"  No,"  roared  Tommy  loudly,  tired  from  his  con- 
finement, and  sleepy  as  well.  It  was  the  only  word 
he  said  with  any  confidence  yet. 

Rose,  still  in  her  nursing  costume,  went  with  Min- 
nie to  put  the  child  to  bed.  Then  the  two  friends, 
with  arms  intertwined,  answered  the  call  to  supper, 
which  had  been  served  on  the  veranda.  Here  they 
found  Madge,  with  the  evening  papers  still  unopened, 
for  this  was  an  honor  Gabe  liked  to  have  reserved  for 
himself.  He  hurried  in  from  the  orchard,  and  the 
four  were  soon  settled  about  the  pretty  wicker  table. 

"  My  Greensboros  are  ripe,"  he  announced  jovially. 
"  I  shall  set  the  pickers  at  work  to-morrow.  They  are 
slow  this  year,  but  I  never  saw  a  better  crop.  Xext  it 
will  be  the  Crosby,  and  then  the  other  midsummer 
varieties.  But  it  is  the  late  peaches  which  will  be  the 
eye  openers.  What  is  it,  TJnc'  Jack  ?  " 

"  Can'les,  suh  ?  "  inquired  Uncle  Jack. 

"  What  do  you  mean,  you  villain  ? "  thundered 
Gabe.  "  It  is  still  light  enough  and  will  be  for  an 


THE    SHELLEYS   OF    GEORGIA     163 

hour.  Do  you  dare  to  insinuate  that  my  eyes  are 
growing  dim  with  age  ?  " 

"  Naw,  suh,  naw,  suh,  I  ain't  in  —  insinnatin'  naw- 
thin',"  chuckled  Uncle  Jack,  delighted  with  the  sally. 
"  But  —  but  ain't  you  gwine  read  de  papuhs,  suh  ? 
Won't  you  want  a  light  fo'  readin'  ob  de  papuhs  ?  " 

"  We'll  keep  the  papers  until  after  we  have  eaten," 
decided  Gabe  eyeing  them  askance.  "  There  are  so 
many  horrors  in  them  lately  that  they  don't  go  well 
with  a  cheerful  social  meal.  Honey  girl,"  addressing 
Eose,  "  how  goes  it  ?  " 

"  Fine,  Father,"  answered  Eose  affectionately. 
She  knew  that  his  question  had  not  been  aimed  at  ex- 
ternals, but  at  her  inner  self  where  he  had  discerned 
the  sorrow  which  she  hid  so  valiantly.  Now  she 
turned  her  eyes  frankly  up  to  his,  and  a  long  look  of 
perfect  love  and  understanding  passed  between  them. 
Madge  saw  it  with  a  little  ache  at  her  heart,  not  for 
the  love  Captain  Gabe  bore  Eose,  but  because  as  yet 
she  was  shut  out  from  the  confidence  the  girl  yielded 
so  bountifully  to  her  father.  And  again  she  resolved 
that  the  time  must  come  when  she,  too,  would  share 
this  confidence.  Until  it  did  come,  her  happiness 
would  not  be  quite  complete. 

"  Baby  asleep  ?  "  asked  Captain  Gabe  of  Minnie. 

"Yes,  sir,  sound  asleep." 

"  That's  good.     Any  news  from  your  mother  ?  " 

"  Oh,  yes,  a  note  this  morning.  She  sent  love  to 
all  of  you,  and  hopes  I'll  soon  come  home." 


164     THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

"  You  shall  stay  here  with  us  for  a  while,  anyway. 
I  hope  you  told  her  that  ?  " 

Receiving  an  affirmative  reply,  he  turned  to  Madge. 
"  My  dear,  have  you  decided  yet  what  you  are  going 
to  do  with  your  riches  ?  " 

Madge  shook  her  head.  "  But,  as  Mr.  Fort  said," 
she  asserted  brightly,  "  I  shall  keep  smiling  and  not 
worry.  Something  will  turn  up.  I  can't  get  over 
Aunt  Betty's  leaving  me  all  that  money,"  she  con- 
tinued thoughtfully. 

"  She  sent  for  you  often  enough,"  flashed  Rose. 
"  She  made  your  life  a  burden  the  whole  year  before 
she  died." 

"  She  didn't  realize  that,  of  course,"  answered 
Madge.  "  But  Tom  Blankenship  was  her  favorite 
nephew  — " 

"  Not  really  her  nephew,  my  dear,"  corrected  Gabe, 
passing  his  plate  for  more  fried  chicken,  that  staple 
of  a  Southern  meal. 

"  What  is  the  relationship,  anyhow  ? "  queried 
Hose.  She  had  accustomed  herself  to  mentioning 
Tom  casually,  so  Minnie  had  heard  his  name  often 
enough  not  to  be  startled  by  it.  Now  she  toyed  with 
her  food  while  Madge  attempted  to  trace  that  elusive 
kinship  which  exists  less  often  in  the  North  than  in 
the  South  where  the  old  families  formed  a  class  apart 
and  intermarried  recklessly. 

"Let  me  see,"  she  mused.  "Uncle  John  Ogle- 
thorpe  was  my  grandfather's  brother,  and  that  makes 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     165 

me  his  great-niece.  I  was  Aunt  Betty's  niece  through 
her  marriage  with  Uncle  John.  She  was  a  Munro, 
and  an  aunt  on  her  mother's  side  married  Tom's 
grandfather.  So  Aunt  Betty  was  own  cousin  to 
Tom's  father,  and  second  cousin  to  Tom.  But  he  was 
so  much  younger  that  he  called  her  aunt,  out  of  re- 
spect, and  so  came  to  be  regarded  as  her  nephew.  She 
was  certainly  fond  of  him,  and  she  told  me  repeatedly 
that  he  was  to  get  all  her  money,  because  she  felt  so 
badly  about  having  no  children  of  her  own,  and  Tom 
had  in  a  manner  seemed  like  her  own  son." 

"  You  must  have  seemed  just  as  much  like  a  daugh- 
ter," said  Hose  indignantly.  "  I  should  think  you'd 
have  said  so,  when  she  made  remarks  like  that." 

"  What  was  the  use  ? "  asked  Madge  tranquilly. 
"  I  never  did  believe  in  reminding  people  of  past 
favors.  And  the  dear  old  lady  really  appreciated 
everything  after  all.  She  must  have  had  a  squabble 
with  Tom,  or  she  wouldn't  have  cut  him  off  with  a 
paltry  thousand.  But  it  was  odd  she  never  told  me 
about  changing  her  will." 

"  Aunt  Betty  was  always  quite  a  character,"  said 
Gabe  genially.  "  I  remember  once,  when  I  was  a  lit- 
tle shaver,  and  she  a  tall  young  lady,  a  lot  of  us 
youngsters  were  teasing  a  disreputable  little  nigger, 
whose  mother  had  been  sold  to  work  in  the  cotton 
fields.  She  rushed  into  the  bunch  of  us,  boxed  all  our 
ears,  took  that  filthy  ragamuffin  up  in  her  arms,  dried 
his  tears  on  her  lace  handkerchief,  carried  him  back 


166     THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

to  his  master,  and  bought  him  on  the  spot.  He  was 
her  servant  for  several  years,  but  he  ran  away  at  war- 
time, the  ungrateful  dog !  My  ears  tingle  yet,  when  I 
think  of  the  whack  she  gave  me,  but  I  deserved  it  and 
I  always  admired  her  after  that."  And  the  Captain 
rubbed  his  ears  as  he  laughed  at  the  recollection. 

"  She  was  opinionated,"  declared  Madge.  "  But 
I  liked  her,  and  I  think  she  liked  me  because  I  would 
never  argue  or  get  mad." 

"  I'd  have  done  both,"  laughed  Rose.  {t  Poor  dear 
Aunt  Betty !  It's  a  mercy  her  sufferings  are  ended." 

"  It  is,"  agreed  Madge.  "  I'd  feel  her  death  more 
if  it  hadn't  been  such  a  relief.  And  then  to  think  she 
loved  me  all  the  time,  enough  to  will  me  fifty  thousand 
dollars!  I  can't  realize  it  even  yet."  The  tears 
sprang  to  Madge's  eyes,  but  she  wiped  them  quietly 
away  and  looked  at  Gabe  with  a  loving  smile.  "  Tom 
doesn't  need  the  money,  or  I'd  think  it  my  duty  to  step 
aside.  I  don't  need  it,  either,  with  you  to  care  for 
me.  So  it  shall  remain  in  the  bank  for  the  present, 
and  something  will  surely  come  up  for  which  I  can 
use  it,  and  so  pay  a  tribute  to  her  memory.  Now, 
Gabe,  if  you  are  through  let's  have  the  news,  and  the 
candle,  too,  Uncle  Jack." 

"  Xot  a  bit  of  it,"  cried  Gabe  stoutly.  "  I  could 
read  the  paper  from  A  to  izzard  and  then  back  again 
in  this  light." 

So  saying  he  settled  his  glasses  on  his  nose,  and  took 
the  folded  sheets.  The  battles  of  San  Juan  and  El 


THE   SHELLEY S   OF   GEORGIA     167 

Caney  had  by  now  been  given  in  full  detail,  so  the 
first  page  was  taken  up  with  a  repetition  of  events, 
a  few  local  items,  and  a  partial  list  of  the  killed  and 
wounded  in  the  two  battles.  From  the  headlines 
Gabe  picked  out  the  bits  of  news  most  interesting  to 
his  audience,  and  scanned  the  list  of  names,  reading 
aloud  those  of  men  they  knew  or  had  heard  about. 
So  rapidly  did  he  go  down  the  columns,  that  his  sud- 
den pause  gained  significance,  so  that  the  three 
women  were  prepared  when  he  laid  the  paper  gently 
down,  and  said  in  an  altered  tone,  "  Tom  Blanken- 
ship  was  wounded  —  seriously  wounded  —  at  El 
Caney." 

At  first  they  sat  in  silence,  while  the  shock  of  the 
news  bit  in.  Then  Minnie  shrank  back  into  the 
shadow  and  slipped  away.  Rose  sprang  to  her  feet, 
her  first  impulse  to  refuse  credence  to  the  report. 
"  It  isn't  true.  Oh,  it  can't  be  true,"  she  cried. 

"  I  am  afraid  it  is  true,"  answered  Gabe  gravely. 
"  If  this  list  were  not  official  I  should  question  it,  but 
by  now  they  have  had  time  to  correct  any  mistakes. 
And  they  give  his  full  name,  his  rank,  and  that  he 
fell  while  attempting  to  gain  a  shelter  in  front  of  the 
Spanish  fort.  I  am  quite  sure  it  is  true." 

As  he  spoke,  to  Rose  there  appeared  a  vision  of 
Tom  as  she  had  seen  him  last,  tall,  handsome,  virile, 
angry.  Into  the  eyes  of  this  vision  leapt  the  look  of 
love  and  passion  which  she  had  so  often  encountered 
in  the  eyes  of  the  living  man.  And  then  she  saw  him 


168     THE   SHELLEY S   OF   GEORGIA 

lying  wounded,  sick  unto  death,  and  her  whole  heart 
throbbed  with  tenderness  and  pity.  But  before  she 
could  speak  Minnie  had  returned  and  confronted 
them,  her  eyes  alight  with  suffering  beneath  which 
Rose's  emotions  sank  into  insignificance. 

"  Whar  is  he  ? "  she  asked  abruptly,  returning  in 
her  stress  to  the  plain  mountain  speech  so  recently 
discarded.  "  Whar  is  he  ?  I've  got  to  git  thar  some- 
how. I've  got  to  git  thar  befo'  he  dies. 

"  They's  somethin'  I  ain't  nevuh  tol'  you-all,"  she 
continued,  turning  her  tortured  face  from  one  to  the 
other  in  an  agony  of  appeal.  "  But  it  wuz  Tawm 
Blankenship  I  loved.  It  wuz  him  as  wuz  father  to 
my  baby.  Now  he's  dyin' —  shot  — 'way  off  in 
Cuby!  I've  got  to  git  thar  someway,  I  tell  you. 
Ain't  thar  no  way  I  kin  git  thar  quick  ?  " 

"  Of  course  there  is  a  way,"  cried  Eose,  suppres- 
sing her  own  sorrow  at  the  news,  as  she  realized  its 
effect  on  Minnie.  "  Of  course  there's  a  way.  I  had 
just  written  a  letter  to  refuse  an  opening  with  a 
Ladies'  Auxiliary  from  Georgia.  The  letter  has  not 
yet  been  mailed.  I'll  write  instead  and  say  I'll  come 
if  they'll  let  me  take  you,  too." 

"  Oh,  will  you  ?  "  Minnie's  sad  eyes  brightened, 
and  her  hands  relaxed  their  pressure  against  her 
heart.  "  Will  that  be  the  quickest  way  —  the  very- 
quickest  ? " 

"  The  very  quickest  way,"  Eose  assured  her. 
"Come!  We'll  write  the  letter  now.  You  shall 


THE   SHELLEY S    OF    GEORGIA      169 

watch  me  do  it,  to  be  sure  I  put  everything  straight. 
Let's  hurry,  so  we'll  catch  the  evening  mail." 

"  Just  a  moment,"  interrupted  Gabe.  "  How 
about  the  baby  ?  And  Minnie's  mother  ?  " 

"I'll  take  the  baby  with  me,"  answered  Minnie, 
into  whose  head  the  thought  of  leaving  "  li'l  Tawm  " 
had  not  entered  for  a  moment. 

"  But  you  can't  take  him,"  explained  Gabe. 

"  Why  can't  I  ? "  asked  Minnie  piteously.  "  Why 
can't  I,  Eose  ?  " 

"  I'll  keep  him  here  with  me,"  said  Madge,  now 
speaking  for  the  first  time.  "  And  your  mother  shall 
come  here  to  wait  for  you.  I'd  love  to  keep  him.  It 
won't  be  a  bit  of  trouble." 

"Then  that's  settled,"  exclaimed  Eose.  "JSTow 
come !  Let's  write  our  letter." 

It  spoke  volumes  for  Minnie's  love  for  Tom  that 
she  did  not  question  this  decision.  With  a  grateful 
look  at  Madge  she  let  the  impetuous  girl  hurry  her 
away,  and  the  letter  was  sent  which  would  bring  her 
nearer  to  the  man  she  loved,  and  would  grant  Eose 
her  opportunity  for  service. 

"  Are  you  sure  you  want  to  take  so  much  upon 
yourself?"  asked  Gabe  of  Madge.  "The  care  of 
this  baby—" 

"Will  be  a  pleasure,"  Madge  interposed.  "A 
pleasure  that  would  be  greater  only  if  he  were  my 
very  own.  If  Mrs.  Gray  is  willing  to  come  down 
here,  she  will  help  me,  though  I  really  do  not  need 


170     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

help.  Oh,  Gabe,  there  is  nothing  in  this  world  that 
appeals  to  me  like  a  baby.  I  love  every  one,  black 
and  white,  rich  and  poor.  And  they  say  there  are 
thousands  of  little  ones  who  come  to  people  who  don't 
want  them!  They  say  there  are  tens  of  thousands 
whose  homes  are  so  poor,  whose  chances  of  life  are  so 
feeble,  whose  birthrights  have  been  so  travestied,  that 
their  coming  is  a  misfortune  instead  of  a  joy.  l  Li'l 
Tawm's*  birth  was  this,  even  in  his  mother's  eyes, 
until  we  taught  her  better.  In  helping  her  and  him, 
perhaps  we  may  find  a  way  to  help  those  other  little 
ones.  If  we  ever  do,  then  the  short  life  of  our  own 
baby  will  not  have  been  in  vain.  He  taught  me  how 
to  love  all  babies,  Gabe." 

"  Thank  God  for  that,  anyhow,"  said  the  stalwart 
man,  with  tear-filled  eyes.  "  It  is  the  maternal  in- 
stinct in  you,  Madge,  which  draws  us  closer  every 
day." 


CHAPTER  XII 

TO  both  Rose  and  Minnie  the  trip  to  Cuba 
was  merely  a  period  during  which  they  had 
time  to  gather  their  strength  for  the  ordeal 
to  come.  They  kept  much  to  themselves  and  their 
intimacy  grew.  Long  hours  they  spent  looking  out 
across  the  blue  "waters  of  the  Gulf,  straining  their 
eyes  to  catch  the  first  glimpse  of  Cuba.  As  time 
passed,  Minnie's  quiet  endurance  of  her  anxiety  and 
distress  quite  awed  Rose,  whose  nature  was  more  im- 
patient, and  who  was  so  apt  to  chafe  at  delay.  If  she 
had  taught  Minnie  much  in  the  last  few  months, 
Minnie  had  also  taught  the  spirited  girl,  especially 
since  the  news  of  Tom's  wound  had  reached  them. 
Rose  often  paused  to  look  with  both  wonder  and  re- 
spect at  Minnie,  as  she  carefully  rehearsed  every  bit 
of  refinement  or  difference  of  speech  which  she  had 
learned,  that  she  might  reflect  no  discredit  on  her 
lover. 

A  great  deal  of  the  preliminary  work  in  Cuba  had 
been  finished  by  the  time  this  particular  auxiliary  ar- 
rived. When  Miss  Barton,  the  first  to  reach  the 
scene,  had  offered  the  services  of  her  band  of  nurses 
to  the  United  States  Hospital,  they  had  been  indig- 
171 


172     THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

nantly  refused.  The  intrepid  Eed  Cross  leader, 
nothing  daunted,  had  turned  her  attention  to  the 
Cuban  hospital,  which  was  in  horrible  condition,  but 
scarcely  worse  than  the  American.  Such  wonders 
did  she  and  her  eight  nurses  accomplish  there,  that 
at  last  they  were  requested  to  take  charge  of  the  other, 
and  it  speaks  well  for  their  spirit  that  they  wasted 
no  time  in  resentment  at  their  first  reception,  nor 
waited  to  be  coaxed.  Tom  lay  in  a  department  di- 
rectly under  the  charge  of  Mrs.  Trumbull  White, 
whose  efficient  services  saved  scores  of  men  from 
blindness,  and  through  Mrs.  White,  Eose  was  able  to 
secure  permission  for  Mrs.  Kemp  to  help  in  those 
particular  cases,  and  thus  gain  access  to  Tom.  Eose 
herself  was  put  in  a  larger  ward,  as  being  one  of  the 
more  skillful  graduate  nurses,  so  needed  in  the  dress- 
ing of  abdominal  wounds. 

The  two  girls  were  together  when  Minnie  first  pre- 
sented herself  for  service.  She  begged  Eose  for  this 
favor,  feeling  more  equal  to  the  meeting  with  Tom 
if  her  friend  was  near.  And  Eose  put  aside  her  own 
feelings  in  her  endeavor  to  help  Minnie  through  her 
agony  of  suspense,  which  grew  greater  as  the  end  of 
it  approached. 

"  Eose,"  she  whispered,  as  they  walked  across  to 
the  tent  where  Tom  Blankenship  lay.  "  What  shall 
I  say  to  him  ?  How  must  I  act  ?  I  reckon  I'll  for- 
get all  you  have  taught  me.  Will  he  recognize  me  ?  " 
This  last  question  she  had  asked  a  thousand  times. 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     173 

"No,  dear  Minnie,  I  do  not  think  he  will  recog- 
nize you,"  answered  Rose,  her  head  high  and  her 
cheeks  aflame.  It  was  her  way  to  meet  her  trials 
with  a  courageous  front.  "  You  must  remember  that 
he  is  blind." 

"  I  do,"  half  sobbed  Minnie.  "  But  I'd  know  him 
if  I  was  blind  and  deaf.  I'd  feel  his  presence,  no 
matter  how  sick  I  was." 

"Dear,"  said  Rose,  stopping  short.  "You  love 
Tom,  but  you  must  not  overlook  the  fact  that  as  yet 
he  does  not  love  you.  This  is  a  truth  which  you  have 
go";  to  face  and  set  yourself  to  undermine.  Now  is 
your  opportunity.  To  a  sick  man  there  is  no  one 
like  his  nurse,  and  if  she  be  sweet  and  bright,  pa- 
tient and  tender  and  cheerful,  as  well  as  a  trifle  co- 
quettish, she  can  usually  do  what  she  wills  with  him, 
provided  his  heart  is  not  otherwise  engaged.  I  have 
told  you  that  Tom  once  thought  he  loved  me.  He 
may  still  think  so,  but  even  if  he  does,  the  odds  are 
in  your  favor.  This  may  sound  cynical,  but  we  have 
got  to  consider  everything.  Now  calm  yourself,  and 
forge  ahead.  I  am  here  to  help  you  through  the 
worst  of  it." 

So  they  entered  the  tent  together. 

At  first  they  were  blinded  by  the  sudden  change 
from  the  glare  of  the  tropical  sun  outside  to  the  cool 
shadow  of  the  canvas.  As  they  hesitated  in  the 
opening,  a  Red  Cross  nurse  came  forward  with  a 
welcoming  smile,  for  she  was  worn  out  and  knew  this 


174     THE   SHELLEYS    OF   GEORGIA 

meant  relief.  "  Which  of  you  is  Mrs.  Kemp  ?  "  she 
whispered. 

"  This  is  she,"  answered  Eose,  pushing  forward 
Minnie,  now  quite  incapable  of  speech  in  her  excite- 
ment. 

"  How  do  you  do  ?  "  said  the)  nurse.  "  Please  do 
not  fail  to  change  the  bandages  as  often  as  this  chart 
indicates.  Replace  them  with  those  soaking  in  the 
ice  over  there.  Here  are  the  medicines  with  full 
directions.  I  have  just  taken  the  temperatures,  so 
you  will  not  need  to  do  that  again  before  the  Doctor's 
visit."  Eapidly  she  explained  what  else  it  was  neces- 
sary for  her  substitute  to  know,  and  Minnie  had  to 
force  attention,  while  all  the  time  her  heart  throbbed 
with  alarming  anticipation,  and  her  eyes  longed  to 
search  out  Tom. 

At  last  the  Bed  Cross  nurse  took  her  departure  and 
the  girls  were  free.  Eose  hesitated,  looking  from  one 
to  another  of  the  double  row  of  cots,  but  Minnie  never 
faltered.  Swift  as  an  arrow  she  sped  down  the 
middle  aisle,  and  stopped  by  the  bedside  of  a  man  so 
straight  and  still  that  he  seemed  like  an  effigy  carved 
in  stone,  rather  than  a  living  being.  With  her  hands 
against  her  heart  she  stood  there  for  a  moment,  and 
then  dropped  on  her  knees  beside  him. 

At  first  Eose  thought  she  meant  to  call  Tom's 
name,  and  spoil  everything  by  a  too  sudden  revela- 
tion of  her  identity.  But  even  in  this,  her  supremest 
hour,  when  she  first  faced  the  father  of  her  child 


THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA      175 

after  months  of  anguished  uncertainty,  Minnie  re- 
membered and  was  dumb. 

His  head  and  eyes  were  bandaged.  His  face  was 
thin  and  of  that  ghastly  pallor  which  olive  skins  take 
on  through  loss  of  blood.  His  lips  were  colorless  and 
so  drawn  that  the  shapes  of  his  large  and  perfect 
teeth  were  outlined  beneath  them.  He  seemed  to  be 
asleep,  but  whether  he  felt  the  presence  of  some  one 
near,  or  only  reiterated  a  request  which  was  often 
on  his  lips,  he  now  moved  his  head  restlessly  and 
moaned  for  water. 

In  a  pitcher  Eose  found  a  concoction  made  by  soak- 
ing dried  apples  in  ice-water.  This,  which  the  sick 
men  would  ordinarily  have  disdained,  had  been  a 
happy  thought  of  Miss  Barton's,  and  was  welcomed 
now  as  nectar  from  the  gods.  Rose  poured  a  glass 
and  passed  it  to  Minnie,  who  raised  Tom's  head  and 
held  it  to  his  lips.  He  drank  it  thirstily,  with  a  sigh 

<rf  joy- 

"  Ah !  But  that's  good !  "  he  gasped  when  he  was 
through.  And  then  something  in  the  tender  reluc- 
tance with  which  Minnie  released  his  head,  and 
wiped  his  mouth,  roused  him  to  languid  interest. 

"  Are  you  the  nurse  ?  "  he  asked  faintly. 

"  I  am  Mrs.  Kemp,"  faltered  Minnie  slowly. 

"  Have  you  been  here  —  long  ?  " 

"  I  have  just  come." 

"  Are  you  going  to  take  care  of  me  —  of  us  poor 
fellows  here?" 


176     THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

"  Part  of  the  time  I  shall  take  care  of  you." 

He  was  silent  for  a  moment.  Then,  "  You  have  a 
pretty  voice.  I  like  to  hear  you  speak.  God !  But 
my  head  burns !  " 

She  changed  the  bandages  and  he  whispered  feebly 
that  she  was  an  angel,  with  a  magic  touch. 

But  now  the  talk,  low  as  it  was,  had  roused  others 
of  the  sufferers,  and  Minnie  dared  not  linger  by  the 
side  of  the  man  she  loved.  With  a  last  light  smooth- 
ing of  the  bandage  on  his  head,  she  left  him,  to  do 
what  was  needed  for  the  rest.  Well  for  her  that  she 
had  to  be  so  occupied,  or  else  she  must  have  broken 
down  and  cried  his  name  and  told  him  all  her  story. 

As  soon  as  she  was  quite  composed,  Rose  returned 
to  her  own  part  of  the  hospital  camp,  where,  in  her 
incessant  duties,  she  too  obtained  relief  from  the 
storm  which  raged  within  her.  That  night,  when 
she  was  given  a  few  hours  for  sleep,  she  fought  her 
last  battle  with  herself  about  Tom  Blankenship.  She 
knew  that  her  love  for  him  was  gone,  but  in  its  stead 
she  bore  a  wound  that  every  thought  of  him  pierced 
through  and  through.  She  had  given  him  her  first 
love.  He  had  betrayed  her  trust  and  so  she  suf- 
fered. But  she  now  perceived  a  rift  in  the  clouds 
ahead,  that  meant  the  future  substitute  of  peace  for 
pain.  Before  she  forced  herself  to  the  sleep  she 
needed  so  badly,  she  had  made  herself  believe  that 
this  peace  was  nearer  than  she  had  at  first  supposed. 

In  the  morning,  she  saw  Minnie  for  a  moment;. 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     177 

The  eyes  of  the  mountain  girl  held  a  new  look  of  reso- 
lution. "  He  does  not  know  me,"  she  whispered  to 
Eose.  "But  already  he  turns  to  me.  The  nurses 
here  are  not  sympathetic.  They  haven't  time  to  be. 
From  a  few  words  of  his,  I  think  he  has  suffered 
dreadfully.  He  imagines  he  is  going  to  die,  and  has 
made  me  promise  to  be  there  to  help  him  through. 
He  is  too  sick  to  be  unselfish." 

"  Then  the  start  is  good,"  Eose  responded. 
"  Make  yourself  indispensable  to  him,  dear." 

The  days  went  swiftly  by,  for  where  there  is  much 
to  do,  the  waking  hours  pass  like  dreams  and  sleep  is 
mere  oblivion.  At  first  Eose  was  anxious,  fearing 
Minnie's  frail  strength  too  sorely  tried.  But  Minnie 
thrived  in  the  presence  of  her  lover  and  of  Eose,  the 
two  people  she  most  adored. 

As  it  became  certain  that  Tom's  wound  was  heal- 
ing, "by  first  intention,"  that  his  paralysis  was 
slowly  leaving,  and  that  his  recovery  was  only  a  mat- 
ter of  time,  all  of  her  anxiety  sank  itself  in  the  joy  of 
having  him  so  in  need  of  her.  When  she  was  relieved 
from  duty  and  went  to  the  nurses'  quarters  to  sleep, 
his  sightless  face  turned  to  the  tent  opening  as  she 
passed  from  it,  and  when  she  returned  he  would  still 
be  lying  so,  with  ears  alert  for  the  sound  of  her  foot- 
steps. His  welcoming  smile  was  glorious  to  her. 
The  gloom  with  which  he  invested  her  absence 
stirred  her  equally. 

At  last  he  was  considered  well  enough  to  return  to 


178     THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

the  United  States,  and  received  his  discharge.  But 
he  did  not  want  to  go  home.  By  now  he  had  grown 
so  used  to  Mrs.  Kemp's  presence  that  he  could  not 
bear  the  thought  of  being  helpless  and  without  her. 
No  other  nurse  was  half  so  kind  and  gentle.  No 
other  nurse  knew  how  to  fix  his  bandages  properly, 
or  keep  his  pillow  comfortable.  No  other  grasped  so 
readily  how  hot  he  liked  his  broth,  or  the  exact  cool- 
ness necessary  to  quench  his  thirst.  In  a  word  it  was 
quite  impossible  for  him  to  get  along  without  Mrs. 
Kemp.  He  had  early  judged  that  she  must  be  a 
widow. 

"  Take  care  of  me  until  I  am  well,"  he  begged  in 
one  of  their  last  few  brief  moments  of  conversation. 
"  I'll  pay  you  anything  you  ask." 

"  It  isn't  a  question  of  pay,"  she  told  him. 

"  Ah !  I  know  that,"  he  murmured.  "  It  is  a 
question  of  having  you  at  any  cost.  I've  got  to  have 
you." 

It  was  difficult  indeed  for  her  to  put  him  off.  "  I 
am  sorry,"  she  said,  and  her  tones  showed  that  she 
was  really  so.  "  But  you  know  that  they  do  not  al- 
low women  nurses  on  the  transport  which  will  take 
you  home.  Besides,  my  duty  is  here,  and  will  be  for 
some  time  to  come." 

"  Damn  duty,"  he  growled.  He  was  still  impetu- 
ous and  yet,  even  in  his  illness,  enough  of  a  gentle- 
man to  apologize  for  the  oath.  te  I  didn't  mean  that. 
But  I  am  a  sick  man  still,  and  your  duty  is  with  me. 


THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA      179 

At  any  hospital  in  Georgia  I  would  not  even  be  con- 
sidered convalescent,  or  out  of  danger.  Here  I  am 
shipped  off  as  soon  as  possible.  It  isn't  fair." 

"  I  am  sorry,"  said  Minnie  again.  "  But  in 
Georgia  you  have  friends  to  care  for  you  — " 

"  Friends  ?  I  tell  you,  Mrs.  Kemp,  there  is  only 
one  other  woman  in  the  world  who  could  take  your 
place,  and  she  has  cast  me  off." 

Minnie  knew  all  the  story,  for  Eose  had  thought 
it  wisest  to  prepare  her,  in  case  Tom  grew  confi- 
dential. So  now  she  only  smiled  and  held  her  peace. 
Her  silence  piqued  the  man.  Although  he  was  still 
positive  that  he  loved  Rose,  she  was  beginning  to 
represent  to  him  the  unattainable,  while  this  nurse 
was  very  near  and  very  sweet. 

"  Well,"  he  said  in  an  injured  tone.  "  Aren't  you 
curious  at  all  ?  Wouldn't  you  like  to  know  who  that 
woman  is  ? " 

"  Why  should  I  ?  "  replied  Mrs.  Kemp  coolly.  «  I 
am  simply  your  nurse,  Mr.  Blankenship,  and  when 
we  part  we  may  never  meet  again.  I  not  only  have 
no  right  to  your  confidences,  but  I  should  much  prefer 
not  to  receive  them." 

This  was  very  hard  for  Minnie  to  say.  It  is 
doubtful  if  she  could  have  said  it,  had  Eose  not 
primed  her  for  some  such  talk,  and  drilled  her  in  the 
proper  answer.  The  crestfallen  man  lay  still  to  di- 
gest her  speech,  while  she  forced  herself  to  move 
away.  When  next  she  returned  to  his  bedside,  he 


180     THE   SHELLEYS   OF    GEORGIA 

made  a  superhuman  effort,  and  stretched  out  a  skele- 
ton hand. 

"  That's  wonderful,"  she  cried,  pretending  to  mis- 
understand the  reason  for  his  act.  "  It  won't  be  long 
before  you  can  move  about  as  well  as  anybody." 

"  I  didn't  do  it  to  show  off,"  he  growled.  "  But  I 
want  you  to  shake  hands  and  forgive  me  for  my  in- 
sistence. You  see  I've  become  so  dependent  on  you 
that  I  quite  forgot  you  may  have  other  claims  much 
greater  than  mine.  You  —  you  may  stay  here  if  you 
think  it  best.  And  if  I  die  without  you  —  I  don't 
suppose  you'll  ever  even  know  it." 

So  weak  and  childish  was  he  that  from  under  the 
bandages  the  tears  rolled  down  his  hollow  cheeks. 
That  was  almost  too  much  for  Minnie.  As  she  wiped 
them  away  she  said  playfully,  "Big  baby!  Of 
course  I  shall  keep  track  of  how  you  are  getting 
along.  Didn't  you  know  that  I  have  friends  in 
Salem?" 

"No!  Why,  that's  great!  Who  are  they?'' 
cried  Tom. 

"  Eose  Shelley,  for  one,"  answered  Minnie. 

Tom  paused  for  a  moment  while  the  shock  of  this 
penetrated.  If  Eose  and  Mrs.  Kemp  were  friends 

—  had    Eose    made    damning    confidences?     Then, 
"You  don't  say,"  he  faltered.     "Has  Eose  — but 
I  have  no  right  to  ask  that.     Wait  a  bit  —     Do  you 
know  anything  about  me  that  might  tend  to  make  you 

—  dislike  me  —  disapprove  of  me  ?  " 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     181 

"  Not  a  thing,"  Mrs.  Kemp  assured  him  heartily, 
so  heartily  that  his  heart  gave  a  great  throb  and  sent 
the  color  into  his  white  cheeks.  "  Did  you  know  she 
was  here,  in  the  camp  ?  She  came  on  the  same  ship 
with  me." 

"  No.  I  didn't  know,"  he  muttered,  turning  his 
head  away. 

"  Would  you  like  to  have  her  come  in  for  a  word 
with  you  before  you  leave  for  home  ? " 

There  was  a  distinct  silence.  Then  Tom  said 
slowly,  "  No.  I  do  not  think  I  want  her  to  see  me 
as  I  am  just  now.  I  can  bear  to  have  you  see  me, 
because  you  are  so  kind  and  sympathetic.  But  Rose 
is  strong,  and  lithe,  and  well.  She  is  a  nurse,  I 
know,  and  of  course  she  is  kind,  too  —  but  not  like 
you,  Mrs.  Kemp.  She  saw  me  last  when  I  was  able 
to  meet  her  upon  her  own  ground.  Now  -—  well,  I 
am  at  a  pitiful  disadvantage.  I'd  rather  wait  — 
but  while  I  wait  I  want  you.  God!  How  I  want 
you!" 

"  Well,  you  can't  have  me,"  she  retorted,  stung  by 
the  tenderness  with  which  he  spoke  of  Rose,  and  by 
his  very  reluctance  to  meet  the  girl  he  loved.  "  For 
I  shall  stay  here,  and  you  are  going  in  a  day  or  two 
—  as  soon  as  they  can  get  you  and  all  the  rest  on 
board  the  transport.  But  — "  she  relented.  "  If  I 
should  go  to  Salem,  perhaps  I'll  meet  you  there." 

With  this  he  was  forced  to  be  content. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

"'W  IT  TELL,  well!  Tom  Blankenship!  How 
\/\/  are  you ?  Didn't  expect  to  see  me  first 
*  »  of  any  one  in  Salem,  did  you,  my 
boy?" 

Thus  Gabe  Shelley,  in  his  hearty  voice,  with  a 
hand  outstretched  to  shake  Tom's  wasted  fingers. 

"  You  forget,"  returned  Tom  drily,  "  that  I  cannot 
see  at  all." 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  I'm  sure,"  protested  Gabe  dis- 
tressfully. "  I  meant  no  harm.  It  was  a  mere 
figure  of  speech.  I  heard  last  night  that  you  had 
arrived,  so  I  thought  I'd  drop  in  to  see  how  you 
were,  and  to  let  you  know  something  of  what  has 
gone  on  in  your  absence.  Perhaps  you'd  rather  I'd 
come  back  some  other  time  ?  " 

"  No,"  decided  Tom.  "  I'll  talk  with  you  now, 
for  I  might  as  well  save  us  both  trouble  by  letting  you 
know  at  once  that  I  wish  you  never  to  come  back. 
When  I  left  Salem  we  were  open  enemies,  Captain 
Gabe.  It  was  like  you  to  come  and  gloat  over  me 
in  my  present  miserable  state.  Well,  look  your  fill, 
for  you'll  not  have  the  chance  again.  Nor  would 
182 


THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA     183 

you  have  had  it  now,  if  I  had  anticipated  this,  for  I 
should  have  forbidden  you  entrance  to  the  house." 

"  There,  there !  "  soothed  Gabe.  "  I  see  you  still 
hold  malice,  Tom.  That  isn't  fair,  especially  as  I 
am  willing  to  forget  the  past  and  start  afresh.  As  a 
matter  of  fact,"  he  considered  whimsically,  "  I 
ought  to  be  the  injured  party,  Tom.  And  to  tell  the 
truth  I  should  have  kept  my  distance,  if  circum- 
stances had  not  arisen  that  made  me  have  to  see  you. 
A  mighty  good  joke  on  both  of  us,  eh,  Tom  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know  what  you  mean,"  muttered  Tom, 
lying  back  on  his  pillow. 

He  was  in  his  own  big  room  on  the  second  floor  of 
the  old  Blankenship  mansion,  and  hither  Captain 
Gabe  had  come,  an  uninvited  guest.  Putting  his 
broad  hat  down  upon  the  table,  and  pulling  a  chair  up 
close  to  Tom's  bed,  he  now  proceeded  to  explain,  with 
many  a  chuckle,  for  he  had  that  saving  humor  which 
can  always  appreciate  a  joke. 

"  Well,  Tom,  everybody  in  town  thought  you  had 
been  instrumental  in  helping  Rose  to  save  my  life. 
Their  mouths  were  full  of  it  all  winter  long.  So 
Judge  Oglethorpe,  when  he  heard  you  were  mortally 
wounded  and  likely  to  die  —  he  appointed  me  to  take 
charge  of  your  affairs  until  you  did  die,  or  recovered 
sufficiently  to  manage  them  yourself.  There  I  was. 
If  I  declined,  they  would  think  it  mighty  small  of  me 
after  you  had  done  me  such  a  sendee.  If  I  accepted, 
I  had  you  to  reckon  with.  Between  the  whole  of 


184     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

Salem  and  just  you,  Tom, —  well,  I  decided  on  just 
you.  It  is  a  darn  sight  easier  to  get  along  with  one 
enemy  than  with  a  hundred  interfering  friends.  Be- 
sides, after  Aunt  Betty  Oglethorpe  died,  there 
was—" 

"  Don't  talk  to  me  of  Aunt  Betty."  Tom  meant 
to  thunder  but  his  voice  squeaked  pitifully,  as  he  was 
angrily  aware.  "  After  that  wife  of  yours  cut  me  out 
of  my  inheritance  — " 

"  Stop,  Tom !  "  Gabe's  voice  took  on  the  steely 
note  which  made  men  pause,  and  it  now  had  this  ef- 
fect on  Tom.  "  Don't  you  dare  to  say  one  word 
against  Madge,  or  I'll  tell  my  story  to  the  town,  and 
let  you  get  along  as  best  you  can.  It  wasn't  because 
I  liked  it,  or  wanted  to  peek  and  pry,  that  I  took  over 
this  guardianship  business.  I  found  things  in  a 
mess,  and  I've  done  well  by  you,  Tom,  and  I  am 
doing  it  for  nothing,  too,  which  I  take  a  sight  of 
comfort  in.  I  know  what  Madge  does  not  know,  that 
Aunt  Betty  cut  you  off  because  you  played  her  a 
trick  on  those  Bascom  lands  of  hers.  You  talked  her 
into  buying  them  at  a  big  price,  and  then  she  was 
just  smart  enough  to  discover  that  they  were  yours, 
and  not  worth  a  damn.  So  she  thought  the  money  you 
got  then  was  quite  enough  to  do  you,  and  gave  the 
rest  to  Madge.  She  told  Judge  Oglethorpe,  and  he 
told  me,  but  nobody  else  in  this  town  knows,  and  they 
won't  know  if  you  behave  yourself.  I  don't  like  to 
threaten,  but  you  force  me  to  it.  Hadn't  you  better 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     185 

declare  a  truce,  Tom  ?  I'll  do  my  best  for  you,  and 
you'll  have  to  bear  it  so  far  as  I  can  see  —  reckon,  I 
mean.  Now  I  know  it  isn't  good  for  you  to  get  mad, 
and  you  know  it,  so  calm  down  and  let's  have  a  good 
sensible  minute  of  conversation  before  I  leave.  Be- 
lieve me  or  not,  Tom,  I  haven't  called  you  a  name  in 
my  paper  for  so  long  that  I'm  kind  of  aching  for  you 
to  get  well,  so  I  can  begin  again." 

Tom  refused  to  smile,  but  he  had  been  given  time 
to  think,  and  perceived  the  wisdom  of  Gabe's  advice. 
He  had  unwittingly  put  himself  in  the  power  of  this 
man,  and  politically  his  future  would  be  ruined  if  the 
three  items  against  him  became  generally  known. 
The  men  might  laugh  at  his  escapade  with  Minnie 
Gray,  but  they  would  not  laugh  at  the  Bascom  land 
deal,  with  an  old  and  helpless  lady  for  the  victim,  nor 
at  the  attempt  to  shoot  Gabe  Shelley  in  the  public 
square.  So,  until  he  was  well  and  able  to  marshal 
his  forces  and  declare  war  in  proper  style,  Tom  de- 
cided to  accept  Gabe's  proposition. 

"  All  right,"  he  said  sulkily  at  last. 

"  That's  fine,  Tom,"  cried  Gabe  heartily.  "  I'm 
glad  you  see  reason.  Personally  I  always  liked  you, 
however  much  I  disapproved  of  you.  Now  here  are 
a  few  papers  you'd  better  sign  —  I'll  guide  your 
hand  —  and  some  bills  for  repairs  against  your  River 
Street  houses,  which  seemed  a  little  exorbitant.  I 
thought  I'd  better  ask  you  about  them  before  I  set- 
tled — "  The  two  became  absorbed  in  business  mat- 


186     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

ters,  wherein  Tom  was  forced  to  acknowledge  that 
Gabe  had  acted  conscientiously  and  well. 

Before  the  Captain  left,  he  sprung  a  bit  of  news  on 
Tom,  which  had  tremendous  effect.  "  By  the  way," 
he  said  casually,  stuffing  the  bills  and  memoranda 
into  his  capacious  pocket,  and  reaching  for  his  hat. 
"  Did  you  know  Rose  was  coming  home  ?  " 

"  No,"  cried  Tom.     "  When  ?  " 

"  Day  after  to-morrow.  They  are  sending  back 
the  men  as  fast  as  possible,  now  that  peace  has  been 
declared.  Yellow  fever  is  raging  in  Cuba,  and  I 
wouldn't  hear  to  Rose's  nursing  those  cases.  I  can't 
afford  to  lose  my  girl  just  yet,  so  I  put  my  foot  right 
down." 

"  I  did  not  meet  Rose  in  Cuba."  Tom  tried  hard 
to  speak  naturally,  but  his  voice  quivered  with  ex- 
citement. "I  had  a  nurse,  Mrs.  Kemp,  who  knew 
her  well." 

"  Mrs.  Kemp  ?  Oh,  yes."  Gabe  was  quite  indif- 
ferent. 

"  Is  she  —  does  she  —  will  she  visit  you  soon,  do 
you  think  ? " 

"  Might.  She's  quite  a  friend  of  my  wife's  and  of 
Rose.  I'm  rather  fond  of  her,  myself." 

"  When  —  when  do  you  expect  her  ?  " 

"Couldn't  say,  exactly.  Good-by,  Tom.  Good- 
by." 

"  Hold  on  a  moment,  Captain  Gabe.  I  want  to 
know—" 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     187 

But  Gabe  had  gone,  and  with  a  groan  of  impa- 
tience Tom  sank  back  again.  "  Damn  my  eyes !  "  he 
exclaimed.  "  Why  couldn't  I  have  been  wounded  in 
some  other  place,  so  that  I  could  at  least  see." 

Before  him  there  was  the  constant  fear  of  perma- 
nent blindness,  and  already  he  had  lost  much  of  the 
strength  he  had  gained  in  Cuba.  Although  he  had 
then  felt  and  voiced  his  need  for  the  ministrations  of 
Mrs.  Kemp,  he  had  not  fully  realized  what  she  had 
meant  to  him,  until  on  the  return  voyage.  There  his 
utter  helplessness  struck  home.  He  felt  that  in  very 
truth  he  could  not  do  without  her.  He  would  die  if 
she  did  not  come  to  him. 

He  was,  of  course,  quite  positive  of  the  founda- 
tion for  this  longing.  He  had  loved  Rose  deeply, 
and  this  love  he  still  believed  in.  He  told  himself 
that  his  desire  to  keep  her  away  from  him,  in  Cuba 
rose  from  his  wish  to  spare  her  the  sight  of  his  rav- 
aged frame.  In  his  dreams  he  still  idealized  her, 
while  angry  with  her  and  bent  on  humbling  her  if 
ever  he  got  his  eyes,  and  strength  again.  The  scorch- 
ing, vital  rage  against  her  and  Gabe  no  longer 
flamed  in  his  heart.  It  had  burned  up,  it  is  true,  at 
Gabe's  coming  this  morning,  but  it  had  speedily  sunk 
again  into  the  glowing  embers  which  he  refused  to 
let  quite  die.  Above  it  and  beyond  it,  his  thoughts 
hovered  about  Mrs.  Kemp  —  that  personality  known 
to  him  only  by  voice  and  tender  touch.  The  music 
of  her  tones  haunted  him.  His  ears  ached  for  it. 


188     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

She  might  be  old  and  ugly  —  badly  built  and  awk- 
ward—  these  things  had  always  repelled  him  in  a 
woman,  but  now  they  did  not  matter.  Nothing  mat- 
tered except  that  he  wanted  her.  Her  presence  in 
the  room  spelt  Heaven  to  him. 

Of  course  this  was  because  he  had  been  ill.  When 
he  was  well  again,  then  he  would  return  all  the  more 
loyally  to  Rose.  This  new  obsession  was  founded 
only  on  his  helplessness,  and  not  on  the  fatal  attrac- 
tion which  beauty  always  held  for  him,  which  he 
called  love.  If  Eose  were  homely,  awkward  —  ah, 
but  how  could  she  be  Eose,  if  she  were  not  her  own 
lovely,  charming  self? 

He  had  scant  time  for  self-communion,  for  others 
of  his  old  friends  called,  and  he  insisted  upon  seeing 
every  one.  And  then  there  were  countless  messages 
to  while  away  the  time,  and  gifts  of  flowers,  jellies, 
fruits  and  custards,  to  be  acknowledged  through  his 
colored  boy,  Xathan,  who  ran  endless  errands  all  that 
day,  quite  overcome  by  his  importance.  When 
night  came  Tom  fell  sound  asleep,  and  was  quite 
grieved  about  it  next  morning,  for  he  had  meant  to 
lie  awake,  and  heap  reproaches  on  Mrs.  Kemp,  the 
one  person  in  all  the  world,  it  seemed,  who  was  not 
interested  in  his  wretched  condition. 

When  Gabe  arrived  that  day,  shortly  before  eleven, 
he  ran  into  the  family  physician,  old  Doctor  Pearsall, 
at  the  door. 

"  Hello,  Gabe,"  said  the  Doctor.     "  I've  been  sent 


THE   SHELLEY S   OF   GEORGIA     189 

for.  I  guess  Tom's  welcome  home  was  a  little  mite 
too  warm,  from  all  I  hear." 

"  Good  morning,  Doc,"  Gabe  answered.  "  All 
Salem  tried  to  play  nurse  to  him  yesterday.  I 
thought,  when  I  saw  the  stream  of  people  coming  in 
this  direction,  that  it  would  be  too  much  for  Tom. 
And  every  last  one  of  'em  had  something  to  tempt 
his  appetite.  Lord !  It  would  have  been  the  death 
of  a  well  man !  " 

And  then  the  two  solemnly  clasped  hands  and  en- 
tered the  house  together. 

Doctor  Pearsall  shook  his  head  over  Tom's  pulse, 
and  put  a  positive  veto  on  the  sort  of  excitement 
which  had  filled  the  preceding  day.  Gabe  suggested 
a  famous  specialist  in  consultation  about  Tom's  eyes. 
Doctor  Pearsall,  though  somewhat  peeved  because  he 
had  meant  to  do  all  the  suggesting  himself,  thought 
this  might  be  wise.  He  admitted  being  at  sea  as  to 
the  proper  treatment  for  them.  So  Gabe  sent  for 
the  specialist,  and  Tom  lay  in  a  quiet  darkened  room 
for  the  whole  of  that  and  the  succeeding  day. 

The  great  specialist  proved  to  be,  instead  of  an 
awesome  personage,  a  fussy  little  man  with  a  rasping 
voice.  He  commended  Doctor  Pearsall's  treatment, 
so  far  as  it  went,  swore  at  certain  symptoms  due  to 
negligence  in  Cuba,  for  which  he  persisted  in  holding 
the  overworked  surgeons  there  responsible  —  al- 
though Tom  assured  him  they  had  done  their  best 
after  they  once  got  hold  of  him  —  he  had  lain  upon 


190     THE    SHELLEYS    OF   GEORGIA 

the  field  for  two  days  as  near  as  he  could  make  out. 
And  finally  he  decided  that  a  very  delicate  operation 
might  relieve  the  pressure  on  the  optic  nerve  and  re- 
store Tom's  sight  permanently.  He  set  the  date  for 
this  operation  ten  days  ahead  —  the  patient  must  be 
in  better  physical  condition  —  and  took  his  fussy  lit- 
tle self  and  rasping  voice  away  by  the  next  train. 

Tom  did  not  brighten  at  the  prospect  before  him. 
Instead  he  grew  so  depressed  that  Doctor  Pearsall 
shook  his  head  over  him.  Rose  had  now  returned 
and  upon  hearing  of  this  depression,  she  said  she 
thought  she  knew  a  way  to  overcome  it,  and  asked 
Gabe  to  take  her  to  see  Tom.  She  and  Minnie  — 
they  had  come  back  together  —  made  Gabe  see  their 
reasons,  and  upon  Saturday  morning,  three  days  after 
the  visit  of  the  specialist,  Rose  entered  the  darkened 
room. 

Tom  had  been  prepared  for  her  coming.  At  first 
he  was  tempted  to  refuse  to  see  her,  but  then  the 
thought  popped  into  his  head  that  through  Rose  he 
might  hear  something  of  his  nurse.  Therefore  he 
was  eager,  and  at  the  light  footstep  on  the  stair,  he 
raised  himself  in  bed,  and  turned  his  sightless  face 
toward  the  door.  As  Rose  came  in,  she  exclaimed 
aloud  in  pity,  and  running  across  the  room,  grasped 
both  his  weak  hands. 

"  Why,  Tom !  "  she  cried.  "  You  have  been  very 
ill,  haven't  you  ?  I  really  did  not  know  how  ill,  be- 
fore." 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     191 

"I'm  all  right,"  answered  Tom  roughly,  scarcely 
able  to  restrain  his  impatience.  But  politeness  de- 
manded something  of  him,  and  with  almost  a  groan, 
he  said,  "  So  you  were  in  Cuba,  too  ?  " 

"Yes,"  she  responded,  trying  to  keep  her  voice 
cheerful  and  steady,  although  the  tears  rained  down 
her  cheeks.  "  Tell  me  ahout  yourself,  Tom.  I 
haven't  seen  you  since  you  went  to  Tampa.  Ke- 
member  ? " 

With  another  groan,  which  Rose  heard  and  under- 
stood although  he  did  not  know  it,  he  gave  her  some 
particulars  of  the  camp  life,  and  of  his  soldiering,  up 
to  the  time  that  he  was  shot.  He  spoke  of  the  Kid 
Lieutenant,  and  found  her  touched  to  the  heart  by 
the  manner  of  his  death.  "  Ah,  he  was  a  man! "  she 
exclaimed,  with  flashing  eyes. 

And  then  he  spoke  of  his  first  hours  of  conscious- 
ness, alone  and  suffering  among  the  sugar  cane,  and 
she  cried  out  with  pity  for  him.  He  told  of  the 
journey  to  the  Division  Hospital,  and  of  being  left  to 
die  under  the  ceiba-tree,  as  he  had  gathered  from  the 
pitying  words  of  a  man  who  questioned  him.  He 
told  of  this  man's  going  away  and  of  his  returning 
later  on  with  a  surgeon.  This  part  of  his  tale  was 
mere  hearsay,  of  course,  since  he  had  been  conscious 
only  at  rare  intervals,  and  then  not  so  that  he  could 
remember  accurately.  "But  that  man,  whoever  he 
was,  saved  my  life,"  he  declared.  "  Some  day  I  hope 
to  find  him  out  and  thank  him." 


192     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

Eose  hoped  so,  too. 

And  so  he  came  at  last,  by  a  long  and  devious  way, 
to  the  hospital  at  Siboney,  and  to  the  arrival  of  Mrs. 
Kemp.  Did  Rose  not  know  her  ?  Yes.  "Where  was 
she  now  ?  Eose  couldn't  say.  In  Cuba  still  ?  !N"o, 
Eose  was  quite  certain  that  she  had  left  Cuba. 

And  now  Eose  must  know  about  the  coming  opera- 
tion. Her  interest  was  sweet,  very  sweet,  but  her 
light  dismissal  of  the  woman  who  had  come  to  mean 
so  much  to  him  quite  broke  down  Tom.  He  longed 
so  to  hear  some  definite  news  of  her.  He  had 
thought  of  her  so  much  that  he  had  fancied  her  in 
other  people's  minds  as  much  as  in  his  own.  Eose's 
meagerness  of  detail  astonished  him.  It  grieved 
him,  and  before  he  knew  it  he  was  sobbing  out  that 
he  could  not  bear  it,  he  just  could  not  bear  it.  His 
thin  hands  sought  to  cover  his  shamed  face,  but  the 
tears  trickled  out  between  the  bony  fingers,  so  that 
Gabe,  a  silent  listener  in  the  background,  had  to  blow 
his  nose  vigorously  and  announce  that  time  was  al- 
most up. 

"  What  can't  you  bear,  Tom  ? "  asked  Eose  very 
gently. 

"  I'm  a  fool,  I  know,"  muttered  Tom,  controlling 
his  voice  with  difficulty.  "  But  she  was  so  kind  and 
tender  that  I  feel  I  cannot  stand  this  operation  unless 
she  is  here  to  help  me.  I  know  I  shall  die  without 
her." 

Eose  half  smiled,  and  then  repressed  her  smile,  for- 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     193 

getting  that  Tom  could  not  see.  "  Do  you  miss  her 
so  much  as  that  ?  " 

"Miss  her?  Why  shouldn't  I  miss  her?"  Tom 
demanded  savagely.  "  There  was  no  one  like  her. 
She  knew  my  wants  before  I  told  them.  She  knew 
just  how  to  make  me  comfortable.  I  tell  you  I  must 
have  her  to  get  me  through  this  thing.  Can't  you 
persuade  her,  Rose  ?  If  you  can  — "  His  pause  was 
eloquent. 

"  Perhaps  I  can."  Eose  pretended  to  consider. 
"  I  am  not  sure.  But  I'll  try.  I'll  go  to  see  her,  and 
do  my  best." 

"  Will  you,  Rose  ?  I  shall  be  grateful  indeed,  if 
you  do.  It  will  put  new  heart  into  me." 

"  Well  then,  set  yourself  to  obeying  Doctor  Pear- 
sail,  and  gaining  the  strength  they  want  you  to  gain, 
and  I'll  add  my  word,  too,"  promised  Gabe. 

"  All  right,"  said  Tom.  "  Say,  Rose,  what  does 
Mrs.  Kemp  look  like?  I  —  I  have  a  fancy  —  I 
should  like  to  know." 

"  She  is  young  — "  said  Rose. 

"  Is  she  —  pretty  ?  " 

"Yes,  I  should  call  her  so,  shouldn't  you, 
Father?" 

"  Pretty !  "  snorted  Gabe.     "  She's  a  beauty." 

"  Tall  or  short  ?  "  asked  Tom  impatiently,  avid  for 
more  detail. 

"Neither  tall  nor  short,"  said  Rose.  "But  — 
just  right.  She  is  slim  and  frail,  for  she  has  not  been 


194     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

well.  She  is  growing  stronger  now,  and  developing 
a  dimple  that  is  distracting.  Her  hair  is  fair  and 
wavy.  Her  skin  is  fair  also,  but  her  eyes  are  golden- 
brown.  She  has  a  sad  look,  as  though  she  has  suf- 
fered, and  her  mouth  is  inclined  to  droop.  This 
makes  her  what  people  call  '  interesting/  So  she  ex- 
cited a  good  deal  of  comment  at  the  camp.  One 
young  doctor  went  quite  wild  about  her,"  laughed 
Rose  reminiscently.  "He  followed  her  all  about, 
and  me,  too,  because  I  was  her  friend.  I  think  he 
meant  to  propose  before  we  left,  but  she  didn't  give 
him  the  chance." 

"  Does  —  does  she  like  him  ?  "  asked  Tom  breath- 
lessly. 

"  Oh,  yes,  after  a  fashion,"  answered  Eose  care- 
lessly. "  But  she  is  such  an  attractive  sort  of  person 
that  she  pays  very  little  attention  to  a  foolish  young 
fellow  like  this  doctor." 

Tom  breathed  again,  but  Hose,  with  mischief  in 
her  eyes,  added  casually  —  "  There  was  an  older 
man  with  whom  she  seemed  much  struck  —  one  of 
her  patients.  I  shouldn't  wonder  if  they  hit  it  off 
some  day  —  but  of  course  that  is  only  my  fancy,"  she 
hastened  to  say  as  she  saw  the  look  upon  his  face. 
"  Now  hurry  up  and  gain  strength  while  I  do  my  best 
to  get  her  to  come  to  you." 

Having  given  Tom  much  food  for  thought,  Eose 
was  content  to  leave  him.  Gabe  scolded  her  for 
worrying  the  poor  sick  fellow,  but  she  only  laughed. 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     195 

"It  won't  hurt  him  one  bit,"  she  declared.  "He 
will  spend  his  time  now  thinking  of  Mrs.  Kemp  and 
of  this  'older  man/  and  won't  have  any  room  for 
brooding  on  himself." 

She  was  right.  Tom  did  spend  his  time  thinking 
of  his  nurse  and  the  man  with  whom  she  had  seemed 
much  struck.  Not  for  a  moment  did  he  imagine  it 
was  himself,  blind  and  helpless,  but  rather  some  hero 
just  interestingly  ill,  and  able  to  plead  his  cause  with 
eloquent  eyes.  Still,  why  should  he  mind  her  hav- 
ing a  lover  ?  He  was  in  love  with  Bose,  himself  — 
but  Mrs.  Kemp!  Ah!  Pretty,  attractively  young, 
mysteriously  alluring  —  he  wanted,  he  needed  Mrs. 
Kemp. 

When  he  was  told  that  she  would  take  charge  of 
his  case,  he  went  mad  with  joy.  When  he  found 
that  it  would  not  be  necessary  for  her  to  come  until 
the  morning  of  the  operation,  his  transports  died  a 
little.  When  he  discovered  that  she  would  not  be 
with  him  until  after  it  was  over,  he  set  his  jaw  and 
developed  a  new  patience  and  a  grim  determination. 
He  went  under  the  ether  without  a  murmur,  so  well 
prepared  that  the  specialist  smiled  his  approval  and 
pronounced  the  operation  a  success  before  it  was  per- 
formed. 

When  he  returned  to  consciousness  again  her  small 
hand  held  his  own,  and  her  soft  musical  voice  be- 
sought him  not  to  struggle,  that  she,  Mrs.  Kemp,  was 
there.  Rose  was  there,  too,  although  he  was  not  in- 


196     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

formed  of  that,  for  a  nurse  of  more  skill  than  Minnie 
had  been  needed  for  the  actual  operation. 

When  he  was  out  of  danger,  and  Minnie  could  be 
trusted  to  do  all  that  was  necessary  now,  Kose  left, 
and  for  the  first  time  the  mountain  girl  and  her 
former  lover  were  entirely  alone.  Entirely  alone  ? 
Not  so,  for  Rose's  counsel  still  dominated  Minnie, 
so  that  she  held  to  her  part  faithfully.  Mrs.  Kemp, 
that  fictitious  personality  in  whose  identity  Minnie 
had  lost  herself,  now  stood  between  Tom  and  the 
mother  of  his  baby.  It  was  her  hands  which  held 
the  reins,  not  Minnie's. 

It  was  Mrs.  Kemp,  not  Minnie,  who  was  alone  with 
Tom. 


CHAPTER  XIV, 

UP  OK  a  warm  afternoon  in  the  middle  of 
August,  Tom  received  the  glad  news  from 
Doctor  Pearsall  that  the  next  morning  he 
would  be  able  to  see.  He  went  to  sleep  with  this 
comforting  knowledge,  and  in  his  dreams  he  thought 
a  fairy  hand  removed  the  disfiguring  bandages  and 
also,  with  its  healing  touch,  the  last  remnant  of  his 
pain.  The  hand  must  have  been  more  substantial 
than  a  fairy's,  however,  for  in  the  morning,  after  a 
sound  refreshing  sleep,  he  opened  his  eyes  quite  nat- 
urally to  the  blessed  light  of  day. 

At  first  he  was  scarcely  conscious  of  any  strange- 
ness in  the  act.  For  years  he  had  been  accustomed  to 
a  similar  experience,  while  his  period  of  blindness 
had  been  so  short  that  it  now  fell  away  like  an  ugly 
veil,  and  was  entirely  forgotten  for  a  space.  But  as 
he  lay,  staring  lazily  up  at  the  ceiling,  where  a  lone 
fly  buzzed  busily,  realization  dawned  upon  him  and 
he  could  have  shouted  out  his  joy.  True  the  room 
had  been  darkened  by  closely  drawn  shades,  and  all 
those  precautions  taken  which  spelt  the  necessity  for 
watchful  care,  but  —  Tie  could  see!  His  recovery 
was  only  a  matter  of  days,  and  the  long  dark  night 
was  over  for  good  and  all. 
197 


198     THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

For  a  while  it  was  just  happiness  enough  to  lie  and 
revel  in  this  knowledge.  Then  gradually  he  shifted 
his  gaze  to  take  in  the  familiar  objects  about  him, 
each  one  now  gifted  with  a  new  and  poignant  charm. 
He  could  have  kissed  every  bit  of  old  mahogany, 
which,  even  in  the  semi-dusk,  showed  its  perfect 
luster.  His  mother's  picture  on  the  bureau  —  its 
shining  frame  informed  him  that  it  stood  in  the  self- 
same place.  The  bureau  itself,  with  its  huge  drawers 
in  which  his  clothes  were  always  so  carelessly  stored 
that  he  had  to  rummage  endlessly  for  the  things  he 
wanted  —  the  washstand,  with  its  hideous  green- 
figured  toilet  set  that  he  had  laughed  at  once,  but  now 
adored  —  the  table  by  the  window  indiscriminately 
piled  with  boots  and  shoes,  and  papers  and  tobacco, 
and  collars  and  ties  —  ah,  that  was  bare  of  everything 
but  bottles,  and  bending  over  it,  in  the  only  ray  of 
light  she  had  permitted  to  enter,  was  the  slender  fig- 
ure of  a  woman  —  was  she  his  nurse  ? 

He  held  his  breath  and  watched  her.  She  evi- 
dently thought  him  still  asleep.  That  little  pile  of 
white  —  was  that  the  stifling  bandage  ?  Had  she  but 
now  removed  it  to  give  him  the  joy  of  coming  to  a 
full  awakening  directly  from  his  dreams  ?  As  she 
moved  noiselessly,  setting  to  rights  the  table  which  to 
his  masculine  eyes  had  been  neat  enough  before,  the 
light  caught  her  hair.  It  shone  like  pulled  molasses, 
beneath  her  nurse's  cap,  in  little  tumbled  waves  and 
curls.  Her  eyes  were  downcast,  so  he  had  to  guess 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     199 

them,  but  her  nose  was  straight  and  small,  and  her 
mouth  a  series  of  delicious  drooping  curves.  Her 
hands  had  the  deftness  which  he  had  often  admired  in 
Rose.  Her  figure  was  outlined  by  the  close-fitting, 
blue  undergraduate's  costume  which  she  wore.  He 
could  have  looked  at  her  forever  and  was  almost 
moved  to  tears  that  his  first  conscious  sight  should 
have  been  rewarded  by  this  lovely  picture. 

As  though  his  gaze  compelled  her,  she  suddenly 
paused  in  her  work  and  looked  toward  the  bed. 
Then,  with  a  cry  of  joy,  she  ran  swiftly  across  the 
room. 

"  You  are  awake !  "  she  exulted.  "  And  you  can 
see  ?  Can  you  ?  Tell  me  quickly !  I  was  so  impa- 
tient for  this  moment  — "  She  checked  herself,  and 
ended  primly,  "  Good  morning,  Mr.  Blankenship." 

Bewilderment  entered  into  Tom's  intent  regard. 

"  Where  have  I  seen  you  before  ? "  he  exclaimed, 
and  then  repeated  it,  slowly,  wonder ingly.  "  Where 
—  have  —  I  —  seen  —  you  —  before  ?  " 

"  People  are  always  taking  me  for  some  one  they 
know,"  said  Mrs.  Kemp  readily.  "I  sometimes 
think  I  must  look  like  everybody  but  myself.  Tell 
me,  can  you  really  see  distinctly?  Are  things  in  a 
haze  to  you,  or  clearly  outlined  ?  " 

"  I  can  see  as  distinctly  as  this  dim  light  permits," 
answered  Tom,  impatiently.  "  Go  back  to  the  table, 
Mrs.  Kemp." 

"Why?" 


200     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

"You  were  in  the  light  there.  Now  you  are  in 
the  shadow." 

"  But  you  must  not  look  at  the  light,"  she  com- 
manded brightly.  "  And  I  must  call  is  athan  to  give 
you  your  bath  and  dress  you,  and  get  you  into  your 
big  chair  for  breakfast  I  wonder  what  he  will  say 
when  he  discovers  that  you  can  see  again !  " 

"  Then  if  you  won't  go  back  to  the  light,"  said 
Tom  crossly,  "  come  here  beside  the  bed." 

She  ignored  his  request,  but  busied  herself  in  get- 
ting ready  for  Nathan.  However,  this  brought  her 
closer  as  she  moved  about  the  room,  and  each  time 
that  she  approached  him  she  felt  his  eyes  upon  her, 
with  that  same  puzzled  bewilderment  in  their  intent- 
ness.  The  flush  on  her  fair  face  crept  up  to  the  roots 
of  her  hair,  but  she  bent  her  attention  scrupulously 
upon  the  clean  linen,  towels,  soap,  and  brushes,  which 
she  was  laying  out,  talking  busily  about  the  joy  that 
every  one  would  feel  at  the  certainty  of  his  absolute 
recovery. 

Nathan  entered  and  Tom  spoke.  "  Ah,  Nathan,  I 
am  glad  to  be  able  to  see  that  black  moon-face  of  yours 
again." 

"  Lawd  ha'  mussy,  kin  you  see  ? "  exclaimed  the 
negro.  He  came  close  and  gazed  into  Tom's  eyes. 
"  So  you  kin !  Ain't  dat  gran'  ?  Um-yum !  Dis 
am  a  proud  day  f  er  us  all,  suh.  Dis  suah  am  a  proud 
day  fer  us  all." 

While   the   colored  boy   performed   his   master's 


THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA     201 

toilet,  Mrs.  Kemp  went  to  help  the  housekeeper  with 
breakfast.  She  was  back  by  the  time  Tom  was  ready 
to  move  into  his  big  chair,  which  he  occupied  the 
greater  part  of  the  day  now.  With  Nathan  on  one 
side  to  steady  him,  and  she  on  the  other  as  an  extra 
safeguard,  he  made  the  short  journey  between  the 
bed  and  chair.  Then  she  sent  Nathan  for  his  break- 
fast tray,  while  she  settled  him  comfortably. 

As  she  bent  over  to  adjust  the  cushion  behind  his 
head  he  grasped  her  hand  in  both  his  own.  His  eyes 
continued  to  scrutinize  her  earnestly. 

She  tried  to  pull  away,  without  success.  "Mr. 
Blankenship,  let  me  go,"  she  ordered  sharply. 
"  You  are  stronger  than  I  thought  you  were.  I  half 
believe  you  have  been  '  putting  on '  your  prostration. 
Let  me  go !  " 

"  Not  until  you  tell  me  who  you  are,"  he  an- 
swered. "  Your  face  is  familiar  to  me  —  more  than 
familiar.  I  not  only  have  seen  it  before  —  but  I 
have  the  feeling  that  I  have  kissed  it  — " 

"Mr.  Blankenship!  You  forget  yourself!" 
Her  tone  was  horrified,  and  this  time  she  succeeded 
in  wrenching  herself  free.  "  I  suppose,"  she  con- 
tinued angrily,  "  that  you  have  given  my  voice  and 
presence  a  personality  which  you  now  see  more  or 
less  in  me." 

"  That  may  be  it,"  he  mused,  enthralled.  "  Yet  I 
could  swear  that  I  have  felt  your  lips  against  my 


202     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

"  Mr.  Blankenship !  "  Her  voice  was  determined. 
"  If  you  persist  in  speaking  to  me  in  this  fashion, 
I  must  leave  the  room,  and  perhaps  the  house.  You 
have  no  right  to  think  of  me  or  talk  to  me  so.  I  am 
simply  your  nurse,  hired  by  you  to  care  for  you  until 
you  are  well  enough  to  care  for  yourself.  If  I  am  to 
be  insulted,  then  I  am  very  sorry  that  I  yielded  to 
Miss  Shelley's  importunings  and  took  over  your  case. 
Perhaps  I  had  better  go  at  once  —  I  must  confess  I 
cannot  understand  your  strange  manner  and  stranger 
words." 

This  stung  him  and  suddenly  he  realized  what  he 
had  said.  The  thought  of  losing  her  made  him  ab- 
ject. "  I  beg  your  pardon,"  he  said  humbly.  "  You 
will  surely  forgive  a  sick  man's  rambling  remarks, 
and  set  them  down  to  his  dependence  on  you.  Ah, 
Nathan,  I  expect  to  enjoy  that  breakfast  this  morn- 
ing, I  tell  you!  Set  it  down,  you  scoundrel,  before 
you  drop  the  tray.  I  know  you  and  your  proclivities 
too  well  to  trust  you,  now  that  I  can  see  you  again." 

The  negro  grinned  as  he  placed  the  heavy  tray  on 
a  small  table  by  Tom's  chair.  "  Dis  suah  am  a  proud 
day  fer  us  all,  suh,"  he  said  again. 

"It's  a  proud  day  for  me,  all  right,"  said  Tom. 
"  Has  Mrs.  Kemp  had  breakfast  ?  " 

"  Missy  Smif,  she  done  sent  word  to  tell  de  nuss 
it's  ready,"  replied  Nathan. 

"  Bring  it  here,  so  we  can  eat  together." 

"All  right,  suh.     All  right,  boss."     And  before 


THE    SHELLEY S    OF   GEORGIA     203 

Mrs.  Kemp  could  interpose  he  had  hurried  from  the 
room. 

"  I  cannot  do  that,  Mr.  Blankenship,"  she  said 
slowly.  "  The  ethics  of  my  profession  forbid  it." 

He  leaned  forward  with  pathetic  eyes.  "  You'll 
surely  not  deny  me  this  one  crumb  of  comfort,"  he 
protested  earnestly,  throwing  into  his  voice  all  its 
most  winning  qualities.  "  I  feel  that  I  must  cele- 
brate this  great  occasion  in  some  way.  Spoil  me  a 
little,  as  you  used  to  do  when  I  was  blind.  You  were 
so  kind  and  tender  then  —  be  kind  now!  Ah!  I 
had  fancied  you  my  friend,  but  I  suppose  I  was  mis- 
taken. My  helplessness  misled  me.  Forgive  me  and 
leave  me  alone.  I  no  longer  need  you  to  feed  me, 
and  so  can  manage  very  well.  Forgive  me !  " 

She  hesitated  a  moment,  and  then  threw  scruples  to 
the  winds.  "  If  you  will  promise  to  be  kind  in  your 
turn—" 

"  I'll  promise  anything,  if  you'll  only  share  my 
meal." 

"  All  right,"  she  laughed,  and  drawing  up  a  chair 
to  the  other  side  of  the  small  table  on  which  the  tray 
was  set,  she  busied  herself  with  its  solitary  cup  and 
plate.  Nathan  soon  returned  with  another  laden 
tray,  from  which  she  transferred  the  china  and  food. 

"Now  we  can  begin,"  she  said  brightly.  "Mr. 
Blankenship,  I  will  still  claim  the  privilege  of  pour- 
ing your  coffee  and  opening  your  eggs.  Be  patient 
and  everything  will  soon  be  ready." 


204     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

"  I  could  be  patient  forever,"  murmured  Tom, 
lying  back  in  supreme  content.  "  I  have  a  vague 
premonition  that  this  is  too  good  to  last.  Mrs. 
Kemp,  I  wish  there  were  some  way  of  chaining  you 
to  your  present  position,  so  you  could  do  this  for  me 
every  morning — " 

"  Nonsense !  I  am  a  usurper,"  she  flashed  at  him. 
"  This  is  a  wife's  prerogative,  when  a  man  is  well." 

"  For  the  first  time  I  realize  the  advantage  of  hav- 
ing a  wife." 

"  Why  for  the  first  time  ?  I  understand  that  you 
are  in  love  — " 

u  Love  ?  So  I  am,  but  what  is  love  compared  to 
my  present  state  of  bliss  ?  " 

"  Well !  "  she  exclaimed  with  a  long  breath.  "  It 
is  the  woman  he  loves  whom  a  man  usually  wants  to 
do  such  things  for  him.  Picture  to  yourself  the 
woman  you  love  in  the  place  I  now  occupy,  and  you 
will  understand  that  there  is  no  comparison.  Don't 
you  get  quite  a  different  feeling  ?  " 

He  considered  seriously.  "No,"  he  confessed. 
"  I  don't  get  half  so  nice  a  feeling.  Because  I  should 
have  to  exert  myself,  wait  upon  her,  pay  pretty  com- 
pliments, assure  her  I  loved  her  more  now  than  I  did 
ten  seconds  ago  —  all  that  sort  of  thing." 

"  There !  Here  is  your  orange-juice,  and  your 
eggs.  It  is  too  bad  you  don't  like  cereals,  for  you 
need  to  gain  so  much.  I  like  them,  you  see,  so  you'll 
have  to  wait  for  me." 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     205 

She  was  demurely  unconscious  of  a  sudden  change 
in  his  expression,  which  had  followed  his  last  re- 
mark. He  was  gazing  at  her  open-mouthed,  as 
though  some  stupendous  idea  had  suddenly  leaped  to 
life  within  him  in  connection  with  her. 

Silently  he  drank  the  fruit-juice  and  then  applied 
himself  to  his  beaten  biscuit,  eggs,  and  coffee.  All 
the  time  he  watched  her  openly,  still  with  the  strange 
new  expression,  but  she  pretended  not  to  notice  and 
was  really  remarkable  in  her  splendid  self-control. 
He  noted  with  approval  that  she  had  dainty  manners, 
the  hall-marks  of  a  lady  to  him  who  judged  so  much 
by  mere  externals.  The  quirk  of  her  little  finger  as 
she  drank  her  coffee  was  adorable.  Did  she  look  so 
sedulously  at  her  plate  that  he  might  the  better  see 
how  long  and  golden  her  eyelashes  were  ?  Or  was  it 
because  she  was  affected  by  his  gaze  and  chose  this 
way  to  avoid  it  ? 

It  was  the  last-named  reason,  and  in  spite  of  her 
happiness  she  was  tremulous  and  almost  afraid,  for 
she  perceived  that  she  was  soon  to  face  the  crowning 
moment  of  her  life.  Being  a  woman  whose  hopes 
had  been  crushed  to  earth,  she  hesitated  at  their  pos- 
sible resurrection.  Poor  hopes !  With  bruised  and 
broken  wings  they  had  crept  back  to  nestle  in  her 
heart,  and  perhaps  to  be  renewed.  Thank  Heaven 
for  "  Mrs.  Kemp,"  that  kind  cloak  which  had  made 
this  moment  possible. 

Breakfast  over,  she  piled  the  things  up  in  the  tray 


206     THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

and  rang  for  Nathan.  The  negro  came  eagerly,  and 
after  him  Mrs.  Smith,  the  white  housekeeper,  who 
was  religiously  inclined  and  "  praised  Gawd  "  abund- 
antly for  the  restoration  of  "  Mister  Tawm."  Then 
Gabe  entered,  with  his  hearty  voice  exclaiming  as  de- 
lightedly over  Tom  as  if  he  had  been  his  own  son. 
Then  Doctor  Pearsall,  to  express  his  approval  of 
things  in  general,  then  old  Judge  Oglethorpe,  some 
few  other  friends,  and  finally  Madge  and  Eose. 

It  was  the  first  time  Madge  had  come  in  to  see 
him,  and  she  was  quiet  and  exceedingly  grave.  Their 
greeting  was  punctilious  in  its  courtesy.  The  truce 
between  them  was  merely  temporary.  Tom  still  re- 
sented Aunt  Betty's  legacy,  and  remembered  all  too 
keenly  their  last  stormy  interview. 

Eose  was  overjoyed  in  friendly  fashion  at  his 
progress,  and  spoke  warmly  of  Mrs.  Kemp's  ability, 
giving  her  much  of  the  credit  for  his  swift  con- 
valescence. The  two  girls  whispered  apart  for  a 
time,  while  Madge  and  he  took  refuge  in  po- 
lite commonplace.  As  Tom  uttered  his  platitudes, 
he  watched  Mrs.  Kemp  and  Eose,  and  that  odd 
change  in  his  expression  further  strengthened.  He 
was  making  comparisons,  and  while  he  could  find  no 
flaw  in  either,  he  had  learned  which  one  occupied 
first  place  in  his  heart.  And  he  formed  a  new  reso- 
lution which  he  proceeded  openly  to  put  into  effect, 
asking  abruptly  if  he  might  speak  to  Eose  alone  a 
moment. 


THE   SHELLEY S   OF   GEORGIA     207 

Madge  hesitated,  but  Rose  glanced  at  her  mean- 
ingly, so  she  took  Mrs.  Kemp  aside. 

"What  is  it,  Tom?"  asked  Eose  gently,  taking 
the  chair  Madge  had  vacated,  which  was  close  to 
his.  "  I  see  you  have  something  important  to  say 
to  me.  What  is  it  ?  " 

"  Eose,"  whispered  Tom,  tremendously  in  earnest. 
"  There  is  something  you  can  do  for  me,  for  which 
I'll  thank  you  all  my  life." 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  she  repeated. 

*'  First  tell  me  what  has  become  of  Minnie  Gray  ? 
Is  she  still  at  your  house  ? " 

"  N-not  just  now." 

"Has  she  gone  back  to  the  hills  —  with  her 
baby?" 

"  tf-no." 

"  Where  is  she,  then  ?  " 

"I  — I  don't  think  I  had  better  tell  you." 

"  It  is  necessary  that  I  should  know.  I  have  got 
to  get  into  communication  with  her  —  at  once." 

"  Tom !  Have  you  made  up  your  mind  to 
atone  — " 

"In  a  way  —  yes.  I  am  prepared  to  recognize 
the  justice  of  her  claims,  and  —  to  buy  her  off." 

"  Oh,  Tom !  At  first  I  thought  your  interest  in 
her  and  in  the  boy  inspired  by  a  real  change  of 
heart." 

"  It  is,"  said  Tom.  "  But  a  change  of  which  you 
are  not  yet  cognizant.  Eose,  for  a  long  time  I  have 


208     THE    SHELLEY S    OF    GEORGIA 

loved  you  dearly,  but  —  I  know  you  will  forgive  me 
when  I  tell  you  that  I  was  mistaken  in  thinking  that 
love  the  best  of  which  I  was  capable.  I  love  an- 
other woman  so  much  more  deeply  that  I  am  con- 
vinced it  is  the  greatest  passion  of  my  life.  Can  you 
guess  who  she  is  ?  " 

"  I  —  I'd  rather  not  try." 

"Rose,  until  this  very  morning,  I  fancied  you 
still  foremost  in  my  heart.  Yet  all  the  time  I  longed 
to  hear  her  voice,  to  feel  her  touch,  to  see  her 
face — "  He  pointed  to  Mrs.  Kemp  who  talked 
with  Madge  by  the  window.  "  It  is  strange  that  I 
did  not  at  once  understand  what  that  longing  meant. 
But  now  the  truth  has  burst  upon  me,  and  I  know 
that  I  love  her  with  a  love  that  transcends  every- 
thing. I  feel  myself  inconsequential,  insignificant, 
incomplete  —  finding  a  road  to  definiteness  only  if 
I  can  be  sure  of  her  presence  for  the  rest  of  my  life." 

"  Oh,  Tom !  This  is  sad  news,"  murmured  Eose, 
turning  her  head  away.  He  fancied  her  grieving, 
though  really  she  was  smiling  in  triumph  to  herself. 

"  I  am  sorry,"  he  began  awkwardly,  when  she  in- 
terrupted. 

"  Don't  think  I  said  that  from  any  personal  sense 
of  slight,"  she  laughed.  "  I  meant  that  it  was  sad 
news  from  Minnie's  standpoint." 

"  It  is  the  best  of  news.  I  had  lost  you,  and  I 
never  hoped  to  experience  such  happiness  as  that  I 
feel  to-day,"  boasted  Tom. 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     209 

"  So  you  want  to  buy  off  Minnie  ? "  asked  Eose. 
"  Does  Mrs.  Kemp  approve  of  your  course  ?  " 

"  Mrs.  Kemp  ?     She  knows  nothing  of  Minnie." 

"  Are  you  sure  ?  " 

"  She  told  me,  in  so  many  words.  I  quizzed  her 
once  to  see  if  you  had  given  me  away.  Her  answer 
showed  you  had  not.  Now,  Eose,  if  you  have  any 
heart  at  all,  you  will  let  me  settle  with  Minnie  in 
the  generous  way  I  shall  propose,  so  that  she  will 
never  come  between  me  and  the  woman  I  love,  as 
she  did  once  between  you  and  me." 

Eose  considered  for  a  moment.  "  Mrs.  Kemp  has 
accepted  you,  I  suppose  ? "  she  ventured. 

"  Not  yet,  but  I  hope  to  make  her  do  so  before 
long."  In  his  eyes  shone  the  old  reckless  self-con- 
fidence. He  was  quite  sure  of  his  ability  to  win 
the  love  of  any  woman,  and  Eose  longed  to  drag  him 
from  his  pedestal.  Eut  she  refrained,  for  that  was 
Minnie's  task.  Instead  she  parried  by  another  ques- 
tion. 

"  Suppose  I  refuse  to  see  Minnie  for  you  ? " 

"  Then  I  shall  try  to  see  her  for  myself.  You 
need  only  promise  to  stand  aside  and  keep  my  se- 
cret." 

e<  Do  you  still  persist  in  thinking  you  can  be  dis- 
honorable to  one  woman,  and  worthy  the  love  of  an- 
other like  Mrs.  Kemp  ?  " 

"  I  do  not  propose  to  be  dishonorable,"  he  retorted 
angrily.  "  On  the  contrary  I  intend  to  be  most  hon- 


210     THE   SHELLEYS    OR   GEORGIA 

orable,  but  I  mean  to  have  Mrs.  Kemp  for  my  wife." 

"  Then  all  I  sacrificed  to  make  you  see  the  truth 
was  useless,"  mused  Rose  sorrowfully.  "  I  forgot 
pride  and  self-respect  in  trying  to  open  your  eyes. 
And  then  I  shielded  you  and  saved  your  life  —  was  it 
for  this,  Tom  ?  " 

"All  that  is  beside  the  question,"  said  Tom  im- 
patiently. "  What  is  past,  is  past.  You  do  as  I  say 
and  I  in  my  turn  will  relinquish  certain  plans  which 
I  had  intended  to  carry  out  later.  Will  you,  Rose  ?  " 

"  Most  emphatically,  No." 

"  Do  you  mean  that  ?     Is  it  final  ?  " 

"  I  do.  It  is  final.  I  shall  continue  to  claim  for 
Minnie  all  that  I  have  claimed  before.  I  will  make 
you  this  one  concession  —  to  say  nothing  unless  Mrs. 
Kemp  promises  to  be  your  wife.  If  I  know  her,  she 
will  not  marry  you  in  the  face  of  my  opposition." 

"  She  will  if  I  can  keep  this  knowledge  from  her, 
as  I  intend  to  do,"  stormed  Tom.  "  If  you  thwart 
me,  and  advance  your  ridiculous  demands  so  that  she 
hears  of  them  —  I'll  make  you  suffer.  Take  heed, 
before  it  is  too  late,  and  decide  to  help  me." 

"  Kb,"  said  Rose.  "  I'll  not  help  you.  I'll  do  all 
in  my  power  to  hinder  you,  waiting  only  to  see  if  your 
own  heart  will  not  prompt  you  finally  to  the  course  I 
must  insist  upon  your  following.  Would  you  mock 
the  woman  you  claim  to  love,  as  you  once  mocked  me, 
Tom  ?  Would  you  offer  her  the  place  that  belongs  to 
Minnie  Gray,  as  you  once  offered  it  to  me  ?  Would 


THE    SHELLEYS    OF   GEORGIA     211 

you  drag  her  highest  ideals  in  the  dust,  as  you  once 
dragged  mine  ?  Shame  on  you,  Tom.  What  sort  of 
love  is  this  you  brag  about?  Selfish  —  unscrupu- 
lous—" 

"  Stop !  "  Tom's  voice  shook  with  passion.  He 
banged  his  fist  on  the  arm  of  his  chair,  and,  leaning 
forward,  spoke  in  Rose's  ear.  "  I'll  not  stand  for 
this.  I  am  a  sick  man  still,  but  I  am  a  determined 
one.  I've  warned  you.  I  have  offered  to  make  every 
concession  possible,  to  this  mountain  girl  and  her 
bastard  baby.  JSTow  I'll  withdraw  my  offer.  I'll 
marry  Mrs.  Kemp  before  you  can  hinder  me.  She 
isn't  like  you.  She'll  believe  me  when  I  swear  your 
story  false.  And  as  for  Minnie  Gray,  she  can  starve 
before  I'll  lift  one  finger  to  help  her  —  I'm  through 
with  her  forever,  and  you  can  tell  her  so.  I'll  deny 
every  claim  she  makes.  Let  her  prove  one  of  them  if 
she  can.  What  testimony  has  she  to  bring  against 
me  ?  I  can  command  a  hundred  witnesses  to  swear 
to  anything  I  choose  to  state.  Is  this  plain  enough  ? 
Are  you  satisfied  ?  Do  your  worst  —  you'll 
never  — " 

"Mr.  Blankenship ! "  It  was  Mrs.  Kemp's 
authoritative  voice  at  his  side  which  brought  him  to  a 
standstill.  "  Calm  yourself.  Miss  Shelley,  I  am 
surprised  that  you,  a  nurse,  would  permit  my  patient 
to  become  so  excited.  You  must  surely  know  that 
it  is  very  bad  for  him.  Please  go  at  once,  and  let  me 
quiet  him  as  best  I  can." 


212     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

Rose  looked  at  Minnie  in  astonishment.  In  her 
alarm  for  her  patient  the  gentle  mountain  girl  had 
changed  to  a  veritable  lioness,  and  very  like  one  in- 
deed she  hustled  the  two  visitors  from  the  room  and 
down-stairs.  Eose's  eyes  filled  with  tears  which  she 
was  too  proud  to  let  fall.  She  had  been  defending 
Minnie's  cause  so  earnestly  that  for  a  moment  she 
had  forgotten  Tom  was  ill.  That  was  his  fault,  not 
hers,  and  now  she  must  bear  the  blame.  It  was  not 
fair. 

And  then,  from  behind,  Minnie's  arms  stole  about 
her.  "  Forgive  me,  Rose,"  she  besought,  in  her 
gentlest  tones.  "  I  had  to  scold  you,  but  I  quite  un- 
derstood that  Tom  was  urging  you  to  some  course 
against  me,  for  I  am  almost  sure,  Rose  dear,  that  he 
has  fallen  in  love  with  —  guess  who  ?  Mrs.  Kemp. 
Oh,  Rose,  think  of  it !  I  am  my  own  rival !  "  And 
with  a  parting  hug  and  kiss  which  made  everything 
all  right,  she  ran  back  to  Tom. 

She  found  him  still  laboring  under  the  greatest 
excitement.  He  seized  her  hand  in  both  his  own  and 
began  to  speak  in  a  breathless  hurried  way,  before  she 
could  interpose.  I 

"  Mrs.  Kemp,"  he  exclaimed.  "  Listen  to  me ! 
Our  talk  this  morning  led  me  to  believe  that  perhaps 
I  can  persuade  you  into  loving  me." 

"  Loving  you  ?  " 

"  Don't  speak  until  I  am  through !     I  worship  you ! 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     213 

I  am  mad  about  you !  There  is  nothing  I  would  not 
do  to  win  you  —  no  price  I  would  not  pay,  no  barrier 
I  would  not  attempt  to  overcome.  I  want  you  with 
every  fiber  of  my  being.  Such  love  as  mine  must 
compel  yours.  It  is  unthinkable  that  it  should  not." 

"  Mr.  Blankenship,  I  — " 

"  Wait !  I  do  not  dare  presume  that  you  love  me 
now.  But  you  will  come  to  that  in  time.  Something 
has  happened  which  makes  it  vital  that  you  marry  me 
at  once.  There  must  be  no  delay.  I  had  meant  to 
go  slowly  in  my  wooing  —  to  win  you  by  presents, 
ardent  lovemaking  —  all  the  gallantries  which  make 
a  courtship  sweet.  But  there  is  no  time  for  that. 
Marry  me  to-day,  Mrs.  Kemp  —  this  very  afternoon 
—  and  then  I'll  set  myself  to  woo  you  in  such  fashion 
as  to  tear  down  your  defenses.  Marry  me  —  now." 

"  Mr.  Blankenship,  have  you  quite  suddenly  taken 
leave  of  your  senses  ?  What  right  have  you  — " 

"  The  right  of  my  tremendous  passion  for  you.  It 
seems  to  me  that  I  have  always  loved  you.  I  never 
really  lived  until  I  loved  you.  And,  in  spite  of  my- 
self, I  cannot  help  the  belief  that  you  love  me  too. 
Why,  I  can  close  my  eyes  and  feel  your  kisses  on  my 
lips  —  your  arms  about  my  neck  —  your  head  upon 
my  breast  —  I  have  held  you  against  this  breast  of 
mine  and  pressed  you  close  and  called  you  tender 
names  —  where  ?  In  some  other  life  perhaps !  But 
as  truly  as  I  live  I  am  convinced  that  you  belong  to 


214     THE    SHELLEYS    OF.    GEORGIA 

me.  Make  this  odd  feeling  real.  Be  my  wife. 
Marry  me !  Say  '  Yes/  and  make  me  the  happiest 
man  on  earth  to-day." 

Almost  she  was  persuaded.  The  eloquence  of  his 
voice  carried  her  away  as  it  had  carried  her  once  be- 
fore, when  he  had  proffered  her  less  honorable  love: 
She  felt  herself  yielding  to  his  clinging  fingers,  being 
drawn  nearer  and  nearer  by  those  hands  so  weak  and 
yet  so  powerful.  She  was  almost  in  his  arms  when 
suddenly  remembrance  of  Rose  and  of  her  counsel  in- 
truded. There  were  things  more  important  than  the 
present  joy  of  his  caresses.  If  she  received  them 
now,  how  could  she  hope  to  gain  that  deeper,  more 
vital  happiness  in  store  for  her  if  she  was  patient? 
She  resisted  and  succeeded  in  freeing  herself  from 
his  persuasive  grasp. 

"  Xo,  no,"  she  faltered  hurriedly.  "  I  cannot. 
You  do  not  know  —  you  do  not  understand." 

"  What  don't  I  know  ?  What  don't  I  understand  ? 
I  know  now  that  you  love  me.  I  understand  that  al- 
most I  embraced  you,  and  that,  if  I  could  once  do  so, 
your  doubts  would  melt  away  before  the  onslaught  of 
my  love.  Come  to  me,  dear.  Why  do  you  hesi- 
tate?" 

"Ask  yourself  that." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  There  is  —  a  barrier  —  between  us,  Mr. 
Blankenship." 

"  Then  tell  me  what  it  is,  and  I'll  remove  it." 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     215 

"You  cannot.  It  is  there,  irrevocable.  Mrs. 
Kemp  can  never  marry  you,  Mr.  Blankenship." 

He  gave  a  low  incredulous  laugh.  "  Explain  your- 
self. Is  this  barrier  something  in  your  own  past 
life?  Is  it  connected  with  —  the  man  whose  name 
you  bear  ? " 

":NT-no!" 

"  You  are  a  widow,  aren't  you,  Mrs.  Kemp  ?  " 

"Y  —  yes." 

"  Do  you  love  some  one  else  ?  " 

"  No." 

"  Then  what  lies  between  us  ?  " 

"Mr.  Blankenship,"  she  said  bravely,  "I  must 
ask  you  to  stop  this  questioning.  I  cannot  bear  it. 
You  are  making  me  suffer  cruelly.  It  is  enough  that 
I  have  said  I  cannot  marry  you.  !Now  it  rests  with 
you  whether  or  not  I  leave  this  house  at  once,  and 
never  see  you  again,  or  stay  until  you  are  fit  to  be 
left  alone.  Which  shall  it  be  ?  " 

"You  shall  stay,  of  course." 

"On  one  condition  —  that  you  observe  the  same 
lines  in  our  relations  that  have  defined  them  in  the 
past.  I  will  try  to  forget  this  scene  and  act  as  though 
it  has  never  been.  You  must  do  the  same." 

Tom  looked  at  her  as  though  he  would  penetrate 
her  soul.  He  saw  that  she  not  only  meant  all  she 
said,  but  would  indeed  leave  him  upon  the  instant, 
if  he  refused  obedience.  The  thought  of  life  without 
her  was  so  unbearable  that  he  must  prolong  her  stay 


216     THE   SHELLEYS   OF.   GEORGIA 

at  any  cost.  When  he  was  well  and  strong  —  then 
let  her  escape  him  if  she  could.  In  the  meantime  — 

"All  right,"  he  said,  with  a  short  hard  laugh. 
"  I'll  try  to  veil  the  love  within  my  eyes  and  mask  my 
worship  under  the  guise  of  friendship.  Later  I'll 
prove  to  you  that  nothing  can  keep  us  apart,  but 
for  the  present  I'll  lay  down  my  weapons  and  observe 
your  conditions  faithfully." 

Her  face  relaxed.  "  I'll  stay  then,"  she  replied. 
"  Now,  as  your  nurse,  I  shall  have  to  scold  you  for 
indulging  in  so  much  excitement,  and  order  you 
to  take  a  nap.  Shall  it  be  on  the  couch,  or  back  in 
bed?" 

"  The  couch,  by  all  means.  But  I  cannot  sleep  — 
unless  you  hold  my  hand  — " 

"Mr.  Blankenship— " 

"How  else  am  I  to  get  calmed  down?"  he  in- 
quired with  an  injured  air.  "Every  professional 
nurse  is  supposed  to  hold  her  patient's  hands  at 
times.  Her  duties  include  it." 

"  This  one's  duties  do  not,"  she  retorted  laughing, 
glad  of  his  return  to  raillery.  "  Now  remember,  Mr. 
Blankenship." 

"  I  will  remember,"  he  assured  her,  and  watched 
her  gloatingly  as  she  left  the  room. 

He  tried  to  close  his  eyes,  but  could  not.  In  his 
heart  he  knew  that  the  barrier,  the  real  barrier,  be- 
tween them,  lay  on  his  side.  Yet  if  Rose  had  kept 
quiet  —  and  he  believed  she  had  —  then  how  could 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     217 

Mrs.  Kemp  know  of  this  barrier  ?  Perhaps  she  did 
not  actually  know,  but  was  so  pure  and  high  and  noble 
that  her  instinct  made  her  guess  that  he  had  not  been 
quite  frank.  How  best  could  he  combat  this  instinct 
—  for  he  was  determined  never  to  acknowledge  its 
truth?  He  was  not  yet  humble  enough  for  confes- 
sion. Rather,  his  pride  was  up  in  arms,  willing  to 
compromise  on  any  terms  save  open  acknowledgment. 
Mrs.  Kemp  should  never  know  of  Minnie  Gray  if  he 
could  help  it.  Mrs.  Kemp  should  never  know. 


CHAPTER  XV 

THE  peaches  now  were  ripe  upon  the  boughs. 
The  trees  were  heavy  with  their  weight, 
and  leaned  on  props,  languid  with  maturity 
and  lacking  strength  to  support  the  burden  they  had 
been  prodigal  in  yielding.  Gabe  loved  his  orchards 
with  a  love  that  made  them  almost  human,  not  only  to 
himself,  but  to  all  those  who  heard  him  talk  about 
them.  Part  of  his  land  was  apt  to  hold  the  moisture, 
and  he  was  continually  putting  in  new  systems  of 
drainage,  which  were  not  always  improvements  on 
the  old.  But, — "  The  peach  trees  hate  to  get  their 
little  feet  wet,"  he  explained  whimsically.  "  They 
curl  up  their  toes  and  forget  to  pay  attention  to  their 
fruit  as  they  should."  And  one  immediately  had  a 
vision  of  the  poor  things  cringing,  stretching  out 
boughs  in  mute  appeal  for  help. 

About  the  tying  of  those  same  boughs  together, 
the  better  to  support  their  loads,  Gabe  exercised  the 
utmost  care.  The  limbs  must  be  wrapped,  so  that  the 
cord  could  not  bruise  them.  The  cord  itself  must  be 
interlaced.  And  in  the  propping  of  the  heaviest 
branches,  he  exhibited  the  caution  of  a  man  who  felt 
218 


THE    SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     219 

that  life  itself  was  at  stake,  rather  than  a  few  perfect 
peaches  in  a  perfect  crop. 

By  this  time  the  first  peaches  had  been  gathered. 
Gabe  followed  the  practice  of  all  commercial  growers, 
in  selecting  such  varieties  of  the  fruit  as  would  give  a 
long  succession.  The  White  Mountain  Rose,  and  the 
delectable  Carman,  Champion,  and  Crosby,  had  been 
packed  and  shipped  by  the  end  of  July.  The  golden- 
fleshed  Elberta  had  been  picked  on  the  first  of  Au- 
gust, and  already  the  fall  varieties,  such  as  Hill's  Chili 
and  Crawford's  Late,  were  turning  rosy  cheeks  to  the 
sun,  and  demanding  the  attention  of  the  harvesters. 

But  Gabe  held  off  as  long  as  possible,  for  in  the 
spring  he  had  only  arranged,  through  Homer  Fort,  to 
send  the  earlier  and  much  smaller  crop  to  Bucknam 
and  Bates.  And  Homer  had  agreed  to  be  in  Salem 
in  time  to  examine  this  later  mammoth  yield,  and 
name  his  price  for  it  at  its  gathering.  Would  he 
come  ?  Gabe  knew  that  he  had  enlisted,  and  so  far 
not  one  single  word  had  been  heard  from  him.  How- 
ever he  said  comfortably,  for  he  knew  his  man,  "  He'll 
come  himself,  unless  he's  dead  in  Cuba.  And  if  he 
is  dead,  he  will  have  made  arrangements  for  some  one 
else  to  come  in  his  place." 

As  usual  the  shrewd  man's  judgment  was  not  mis- 
placed. Homer  arrived  in  time,  though  it  took  a 
hack  to  bring  him  from  the  depot,  and  the  driver  had 
to  help  him  up  the  walk  and  steps  to  the  great  front 
door.  He  sank  into  a  chair  while  the  negro  rang  the 


220     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

bell,  and  when  Janey  opened  the  door,  she  was  fright- 
ened for  a  moment,  thinking  this  pallid  figure  must  be 
nothing  less  than  a  ghost.  His  smile  reassured  her, 
so  that  she  took  his  card,  and  with  an  exclamation  of 
"  Lawsy !  Mistuh  Fo't !  But  you-all  is  suahly  fell 
away  sence  you  wuz  hyar  las'  spring,"  she  hurried 
with  it  to  her  master. 

The  family  were  at  breakfast,  for  Homer  had  taken 
a  night  train,  arriving  at  Salem  before  seven  in  the 
morning.  "  By  George,  it  is  Fort  come  back,  just  as 
I  said  he  would,"  exclaimed  Gabe  at  sight  of  the 
name  on  the  card,  and,  napkin  in  hand,  he  hurried 
out  to  greet  his  guest. 

"Well!  Well!  I  am  glad  to  see  you,"  he  cried 
as  he  stepped  out  of  the  open  door.  ''Why  in 
thunder  didn't  you  come  right  in  ?  Don't  dare  to  say 
that  you  have  had  your  breakfast  — "  And  then  he 
caught  sight  of  Fort's  emaciated  figure,  and  his  eager 
welcome  died  on  his  lips.  "  For  God's  sake,  what 
has  happened  to  you,  man  ?  "  he  asked  in  the  tenderest 
tones  Homer  had  ever  heard  his  hearty  voice  assume. 

"  K-nothing  much,"  stammered  Fort,  moved  al- 
most to  tears  by  the  effect  of  his  condition  upon  the 
Captain.  "  W-wasn't  it  j-just  my  1-luck,  Captain 
Gabe,  to  go  through  the  fight  without  a  scratch,  and 
then,  j-just  as  I  was  c-crowing  loudest,  to  come  down 
with  y-yellow  fever?  No  g-glory,  no  p-praises  for 
heroism  —  just  plain  tough  work  all  through,  and 
then  a  n-nasty,  1-1-low-down  disease  like  this  to  lay  me 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     221 

out  —  but  I  said  I'd  be  here  in  August,  and  I  g-got 
here,  Captain." 

"By  Gosh,  so  you  did,"  sputtered  the  Captain. 
"  I  knew  you  would,  if  you  were  alive,  Homer.  Can 
you  walk  in  to  breakfast  ? " 

«Oh,  yes,  I  can  w-walk,"  said  Homer,  "if 
you'll  lend  me  a  hand  now  and  then.  You  see,"  he 
went  on  as  Gabe  supported  him  through  the  doorway 
and  down  the  shadowy  hall,  "  the  floor  may  appear  to 
be  solid  to  you,  but  to  me  it  is  as  full  of  waves  as  the 
ocean,  and  about  as  stable.  Thank  you.  Mrs.  Shel- 
ley, I  am  overjoyed  to  see  you  again.  Miss  Rose, 
good-morning." 

The  two  women  rose  hurriedly,  suppressed  their 
exclamations  of  pity  and  tried  to  suppress  as  well  the 
emotion  his  condition  aroused  in  them.  He  sank  into 
a  chair  and  smiled  at  them  whimsically,  always  game. 
"  Well,"  he  drawled.  "  Why  don't  you  comment  on 
my  appearance  ?  You  m-might  tell  me  I  have  an  in- 
teresting 1-look,  at  least.  I've  always  heard  that  men 
with  hollow  cheeks  and  cadaverous  eyes  were  called 
interesting,  and  I've  been  trying  hard  to  cultivate 
that  appearance.  Anyway,  I  haven't  a  freckle  left, 
that's  one  comfort." 

"  Mr.  Fort,  how  did  this  happen  ? "  It  was  Madge 
who  spoke.  "  You  must  have  been  very  ill  — 
wounded,  perhaps." 

"  N-no,"  said  Fort  with  a  melancholy  shake  of  his 
head.  "Nothing  so  lucky  as  that.  Just  yellow 


222     THE    SHELLEYS   OF    GEORGIA 

fever,  and  the  insinuating  beastly  bacilli  laid  me  out 
as  thoroughly  as  a  bullet,  only  it  took  more  time  about 
it.  Gabe,  I'm  famished.  Stand  over  me  with  a  gun, 
or  I'll  eat  more  than  I'm  allowed.  I  haven't  seen  a 
waffle  like  that  since  I  left  Georgia.  And  peaches  ? 
Do  you  suppose  a  peach  would  hurt  me,  Mrs.  Shel- 
ley?" 

Madge  didn't  know,  but  feared  it  might,  so  with 
many  regretful  sighs  Homer  settled  down  to  toast 
and  milk,  and  gave  the  others  a  respite  from  his  talk 
which  had  been  designed  to  put  them  at  their  ease, 
but  had  only  served  to  impress  them  more  deeply  with 
the  seriousness  of  the  illness  through  which  he  had 
just  passed.  As  he  had  said,  he  was  ravenous,  and 
Madge  had  to  restrain  him,  even  to  threaten  that 
Gabe  should  get  that  gun,  and  "  stand  over  "  with  it. 
But  at  last  he  had  finished,  and  looked  up  with  a 
contented  smile  and  such  frank  cheerful  eyes,  that  the 
hearts  of  all  three  ached  for  him  far  more  than  if  he 
had  been  peevish  or  complaining. 

"  You  shall  come  straight  to  the  Gallery,"  cried 
Madge  warmly.  "We  won't  allow  you  out  of  the 
hammock  all  day  long." 

"  I  am  a  well  man,  I  assure  you,  Mrs.  Shelley.  I 
have  been  discharged  from  the  hospital  at  Siboney  as 
cured.  I  missed  almost  everything  good  about  the 
war,"  he  continued  plaintively  when  at  last  he  lay 
ensconced  in  the  hammock,  with  Madge  hovering 
about  him,  and  Gabe  and  Eose  sitting  near.  "  First 


THE   SHELLEY S   OF   GEORGIA     223 

I  missed  San  Juan  and  El  Caney,  "because  I  was  de- 
tailed to  carry  messages  between  El  Poso  and  Sib- 
oney.  Then  I  was  hurried  to  the  front  to  help  guard 
the  places  the  other  men  had  taken.  And  just  as  we 
were  about  ready  to  march  into  Santiago  with  colors 
flying,  then  I  had  to  come  down  with  the  yellow 
fever." 

"  And  I  suppose  all  the  time  you  were  working 
like  a  Trojan  among  the  poor  fellows  already  sick 
with  it,  or  you  wouldn't  have  gotten  it,"  interrupted 
Gabe  suddenly.  It  was  what  he  would  have  done, 
and  by  his  own  nature  he  translated  Homer.  (The 
pun  was  his  own,  which  he  took  delight  in  spring- 
ing.) 

"  I  couldn't  do  much,"  disclaimed  Homer  mod- 
estly, turning  his  sallow  face  toward  Gabe.  "  By  the 
way,  I  did  meet  up  with  a  friend  of  yours  who  was 
wounded  at  El  Caney  —  the  fellow  who  helped  Miss 
Kose  to  save  your  life  — " 

"  You  mean  Tom  Blankenship  ?  " 

"Yes,  that's  the  man.  They  gave  him  up  for 
dead,  but  finally  they  decided  to  operate,  and  I  don't 
know  whether  he  lived  or  not.  He  talked  a  lot  about 
Miss  Eose  and  wished  to  know  if  I  thought  she'd  for- 
give him.  I  told  him  I  hadn't  any  doubt  she  would, 
from  what  I  knew  about  her.  I  suppose  he  was  de- 
lirious, and  fancied  he  had  offended  you,  eh,  Miss 
Eose?" 

Eose  looked  up  with  eager  interest.     Her  heart 


224     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

softened  toward  Tom  at  the  news  that  in  his  extrem- 
ity he  had  sent  her  such  a  message.  But  now  another 
idea  burst  upon  her. 

"  You  were  the  man  who  saved  him,  weren't  you  ? 
He's  here  and  getting  well.  He  told  me  about  some 
one  who  said  it  was  a  shame  to  let  him  die,  and  went 
and  persuaded  a  surgeon  to  give  him  a  chance  for 
life.  That  was  splendid  of  you,  Mr.  Fort." 

All  the  blood  in  Fort's  thin  body  seemed  to  settle 
in  his  cheeks.  "  I  didn't  know  he  took  in  what  was 
going  on,  or  I  would  have  held  my  tongue  about  him," 
he  muttered.  "  The  fellow  was  so  fine  about  it  all 
that  I  just  had  to  help  him.  Any  one  else  would  have 
done  just  as  I  did.  I'm  glad  to  know  he  lived,  and 
bears  me  no  malice  for  all  the  extra  suffering  I  put 
him  to." 

His  hearers  laughed.  Just  then  a  queer  old-fash- 
ioned little  woman  appeared  in  the  doorway,  dressed 
in  spotted  calico,  and  holding  in  her  arms  a  crowing, 
laughing  baby.  "  He's  awake,  Miss  Eose,"  said  this 
lady. 

"  Why,  Mrs.  Gray !  "  cried  the  girl,  springing  to 
her  feet.  "  You  know  you  should  not  lift  that  heavy 
child.  You  aren't  strong  enough." 

Yielding  her  burden  to  Eose,  the  odd  little 
woman  bobbed  a  courtesy  and  disappeared.  Eose 
cooed  to  the  youngster,  who  gurgled  in  reply,  and  set- 
tled herself  in  a  big  rocker  with  him  upon  her  lap. 
He  was  not  contented,  however,  but  clutched  the  col- 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     225 

lar  of  her  gown  and  pulled  himself  up  until  he  stood 
upon  his  bare  pink  feet. 

"  Isn't  he  a  buster  ? "  she  exclaimed,  turning  her 
bright  eyes  to  Homer,  for  his  approval  of  this  Her- 
culean effort  on  the  part  of  "  li'l  Tawm." 

"  I  haven't  the  honor  of  the  gentleman's  acquaint- 
ance," said  Homer  lazily.  "  But  I  don't  know  when 
I've  seen  a  chap  whose  looks  I've  envied  more.  He 
is  positively  fat." 

(<  He  is  the  baby  of  a  friend  of  mine,"  explained 
Eose  ambiguously.  "  The  old  lady  is  his  grandma. 
Now  I've  got  to  give  him  his  bath  and  get  his  milk 
ready,  haven't  I,  Sport  ?  Show  Mr.  Fort  how  much 
you  love  Aunt  Eose." 

The  baby  put  his  rosy  face  to  her  pink  cheek  and 
grasped  her  hair.  "  Ouch !  "  she  cried.  "  Let  go !  " 

But  when  she  attempted  to  free  the  clinging  fingers, 
they  grabbed  in  deeper,  and  the  whole  mass  of  her 
glorious  hair  came  tumbling  about  her  face.  "  Li'l 
Tawm  "  chuckled  with  delight  at  this,  and  pulled  with 
all  his  sturdy  ;might.  Eose  laughed.  "  Oh,  you 
rascal,"  she  cried.  "  You  little,  precious,  rascal !  " 
And  with  a  pretended  shake,  she  lifted  him  and  car- 
ried him  into  the  house. 

"  She  loves  that  baby,  Homer,"  said  Gabe. 

"  He's  a  lucky  fellow,"  said  Homer.  "  Whose  is 
he?" 

"Minnie  Gray's?" 

"  Then  the  grandmother  is  the  husband's  mother  ?  " 


226     THE   SHELLEYS   OF    GEORGIA 

Gabe  looked  dismayed.  "  Now  I've  done  it !  "  he 
exclaimed.  <(  I  can't  lie  to  you,  Homer.  She  is 
Minnie's  own  mother." 

"  Is  Minnie  —  er  —  divorced  ?  " 

"Look  here,  Homer,"  said  Gabe  with  a  comical 
look  of  chagrin.  "  I  can  keep  a  secret  pretty  well 
when  it  comes  to  outsiders,  but  you'll  be  a  member  of 
our  household  for  some  days  to  come,  and  will  see 
some  things  you  might  not  understand.  So  I  think 
I'd  better  make  a  clean  breast  of  the  whole  story  to 
you.  I  like  you  well  enough  to  believe  that  you  will 
understand  and  won't  be  prejudiced  against  Minnie. 
I'm  an  old  blunderer,  ain't  I,  Madge  ?  " 

"  Not  a  bit  of  it,"  retorted  Madge  loyally.  "  I 
myself  think  that  Mr.  Fort  had  better  be  taken  into 
your  confidence.  Now  I  will  go  out  to  the  kitchen  to 
give  my  orders  for  the  day,  so  this  is  your  best  chance. 
I  wouldn't  let  on  to  Rose  that  you  have  told  him, 
Gabe.  She  is  so  intense  in  her  partisanship,  and  she 
is  so  afraid  that  Minnie  will  be  condemned  —  you 
know." 

"  I  know,"  answered  Gabe.  Madge  departed,  and 
he  proceeded  to  give  the  details,  all  that  he  knew  and 
some  that  he  could  guess,  concerning  Tom  and  Min- 
nie, and  the  part  Eose  had  played  in  the  matter.  "  I 
shouldn't  have  spoken  so  frankly,  Homer,"  he  fin- 
ished. "  If  I  didn't  count  you  as  our  friend.  I  trust 
my  friends.  Besides  you  saved  his  life  in  Cuba  for 
Minnie,  and  it  begins  to  look  as  though  she  were 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     227 

going  to  win  him.  Since  you  have  had  a  finger  in 
the  pie,  you  might  as  well  be  allowed  a  peep  beneath 
the  crust." 

Homer  looked  thoughtfully  up  at  the  vines,  through 
which  the  blue  sky  glimmered.  "  I'm  not  sure,"  he 
said  at  last,  "  that  I'd  want  the  girl  to  marry  such  a 
man." 

"  Under  the  circumstances  it  is  the  only  thing  for 
her  to  do,"  declared  Gabe  vigorously.  "  There's  the 
boy." 

"  He  has  some  claim  to  consideration,  I  will  admit. 
But  the  man  is  a  sad  rascal.  If  I  had  known  this  in 
Cuba,  I'd  have  been  tempted  to  let  him  alone." 

"  No,  you  wouldn't,  either,"  retorted  Gabe  confi- 
dently. "Being  what  you  are,  you  just  couldn't, 
Homer  Fort.  I  sized  you  up  as  a  fellow  who  has  al- 
ways kept  pretty  straight  —  isn't  that  so  ?  Yes, 
that's  what  I  supposed,"  he  continued  as  Homer 
nodded. 

"  Well,  then,  it  is  probably  hard  for  you  to  compre- 
hend the  complex  nature  of  that  type  of  humanity 
which  we  wrongly  call  a  '  Southern  gentleman.' 
Tom's  environment  and  ideals  have  been  different 
from  yours  for  generations  back.  His  father  and  his 
grandfather  were  slave-owners.  The  lax  morality  of 
the  average  slave-owner  permeated  them,  and  through 
them,  Tom.  There  are  men  like  him  in  the  North, 
whose  ancestry  is  just  as  much  responsible.  But  at 
heart  Tom  is  a  fine  fellow,  with  warm,  albeit  some- 


228     THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

what  promiscuous  affections.  He  has  been  taught 
to  consider  himself  first,  and  his  peculiar  idea  of 
honor  is  a  high  and  very  real  one.  He  demands 
everything  from  his  own  class  of  women,  and  would 
kill  the  man  that  wronged  one,  while  he  scorns  all 
other  classes,  and  regards  the  ruin  of  one  of  them  as  a 
joke,  something  to  be  laughed  over  at  the  Club,  and 
something  which  it  was  rather  smart  of  him  to  have 
accomplished  than  otherwise.  Eose  has  hit  upon  the 
only  possible  way  to  wake  him  up,  and  I  believe  she  is 
going  to  do  it." 

"  I  hope  so,  but  I  have  my  doubts,"  said  Homer. 
"  Thank  you  for  telling  me  the  story,  anyway.  I 
shall  be  interested  in  how  it  all  turns  out.  How  are 
the  peaches,  Gabe?" 

"  Simply  great,"  said  Gabe  enthusiastically. 
"  I'll  bring  you  up  some  samples  of  the  coming  crop. 
And  if  you  say  the  word  I'll  set  the  men  to  work  to- 
morrow. The  Crawfords  will  soon  be  too  ripe  for 
shipment  —  almost  that  now,  unless  you  have  a  quick 
sale  for  them  in  Chicago." 

"  I  have,"  declared  Homer.  "  They  have  written 
me  to  hurry  the  fruit  along.  The  quicker  you  get  it 
off,  the  better.  I  will  be  fit  enough  as  soon  as  I  am 
over  the  fatigue  of  the  journey  here,  and  then  I'll  go 
over  the  orchards  with  you.  How's  politics  ?  " 

"Nothing  doing,  since  Tom  stepped  out,"  said 
Gabe  regretfully.  "I  rule  the  county  now,  and 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     229 

everything  is  orderly  and  consequently  dull.  Heard 
anything  about  my  hotel  ?  " 

"  No.     What  about  it  ? " 

"Oh,  nothing,"  Gabe  chuckled.  "I've  a  good 
mind  to  tell  you  all  about  that,  too,  but  I  reckon  I'd 
better  not,"  he  continued.  "  Rose  is  wild  with  curi- 
osity, and  it  wouldn't  be  fair  to  tell  any  one  else 
first." 

"  You  make  me  curious,"  smiled  Homer.  "  It 
isn't  a  hotel,  then  ?  " 

"  They  call  it  that,  and  so  I  let  'em,"  said  Gabe. 
"  I've  bought  a  tract  of  land  from  Mrs.  Gray  —  and 
I'm  putting  up  a  fair-sized  building  on  it  —  laying 
roads,  and  planting  shrubs  and  flowers  and  a  garden. 
Rose  is  helping  me,  and  Madge,  bless  her,  has  put  her 
all  into  the  project.  I  doubt  if  I  could  have  planned 
it  yet,  without  her." 

"  Are  you  keeping  its  object  a  secret  ?  " 

"  I  am  getting  on  in  years,  Homer,"  stated  Gabe. 
"  And  while  I  feel  as  young  as  ever,  it  may  be  due  to 
my  age  that  I  like  to  surprise  people.  Every  one, 
even  Eose,  has  settled  it  that  I  am  going  into  the  sum- 
mer-resort business,  so  I  let  'em  talk,  and  I  say  noth- 
ing, one  way  or  the  other.  Talk  never  hurt  any- 
body, Homer.  When  the  time  comes,  I'll  show  my 
hand,  and  then  stand  by  and  enjoy  the  effect.  Now 
I  guess  I've  talked  you  blind  and  deaf,  and  it's  time 
for  me  to  go  to  the  office.  Here  comes  Uncle  Jack, 


230     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

with  my  horse.  He's  a  regular  clock.  Well,  Jack, 
did  you  get  religion  all  over  again  at  the  revival  last 
night  ?  Here  is  Mr.  Fort  come  back  again.  Don't 
you  know  him  ?  " 

"  I  knows  what's  lef '  ob  him,  suh,"  said  Jack  with 
a  broad  grin.  The  news  of  Homer's  coming  had  been 
carried  to  his  ears  long  ago.  "  I  hope  you-all  is  tol- 
luble,  suh?  I'se  tolluble,  myse'f,  thank  yo'  kin'ly." 

"  How  about  the  revival  ?  "  repeated  Gabe. 

"  It  was  shuah  some  glorious  meetin',  suh,"  cried 
Jack  exultingly.  "  'Mos'  ever'body  git  happy,  an' 
fall  on  de  no'  an'  writhe  wid  de  inflooence  ob  de  Holy 
Ghos'.  Myse'f,"  he  continued,  scratching  his  woolly 
head.  "  I  doan't  eber  git  happy  lak  dat  ar.  I  doan't 
ezackly  onderstan'  huccome  it  is  dat  I  doan't  —  I  jus' 
doan't,  dat's  all.  I  say  de  alphumbet  baccards,  an' 
de  Lawd's  prayer  thew  an'  thew,  an'  I  can't  flop  to 
save  my  soul.  But  I  kin  make  de  res'  do  it,  so  mebbe 
dat  am  my  share  ob  de  blessin'." 

"  Maybe  the  spirit  is  with  you  all  the  time,"  sug- 
gested Homer.  "  Therefore  you  don't  go  through  the 
agony  of  getting  it  now  and  then.  Perhaps  you  did 
your  flopping  when  you  were  a  baby." 

"Dat  mus'  be  it,"  said  Jack,  his  face  clearing. 
"I'se  mighty  obleeged  to  you  foh  de  suggestion!. 
Maw,  she  often  tell  me  how  pernickety  I  use'  to  be. 
Reckon  she'll  bress  Gawd  when  I  tells  her  it  wuz  de 
Holy  Ghos',  'stead  ob  de  debbil,  which  las'  she  has 
allus  allowed  it  wuz  befo'.  Good-mawnin',  boss. 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     231 

Good-mawnin',  Mistuh  Fo't.  Hopes  to  see  you-all 
lookin'  mo'  peart  right  soon.  Good-mawnin'." 

The  old  negro  returned  the  way  he  had  come,  and 
Fort  looked  on  while  Madge  came  out  to  give  Gabe  his 
farewell  kiss.  She  was  very  sweet  this  morning  in  a 
dress  of  softest  pink,  and  now  she  turned  to  Homer 
with  a  smile. 

"  I'm  going  to  get  you  an  egg-nog,  and  you  shall 
have  to  drink  every  drop.  And  then  I  will  put  up 
the  screen  to  shade  your  eyes,  and  after  that  I  will 
read  you  to  sleep." 

"  You  are  too  good,"  protested  Homer.  "  I  shall 
be  horribly  spoilt,  but  the  process  is  so  pleasant  that 
I  don't  mind  a  bit." 

A  half-hour  later,  Rose,  coming  softly  out,  sur- 
prised them  on  the  Gallery.  Homer  lay  half  asleep 
in  the  hammock,  listening  while  Madge  went  through 
the  pages  of  a  popular  magazine.  They  were  both  so 
absorbed  that  the  girl  stole  quietly  away,  without 
disturbing  them. 

Her  slightly  suspicious  attitude  towards  Madge 
was  now  revived,  and  strengthened  by  a  queer  rebel- 
lious sensation  of  which  she  did  not  know  the  mean- 
ing. She  felt  that  Madge  should  have  been  busy  in 
the  house,  and  that  it  was  her  place  to  be  caring  for 
the  semi-invalid.  Her  heart  was  stirred  with  pity 
and  with  admiration  for  Homer  Fort.  Like  Gabe 
she  had  been  quick  to  see  the  real  heroism  which  lay 
behind  his  modest  statements,  and  she  liked  his  re- 


222     THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

fusal  to  brag  about  what  he  had  done.  This  was  in 
accordance  with  her  idea  of  a  man. 

But  all  the  same  her  old  indignation  returned  at 
his  ingenuous  possession  of  Madge.  She  had  argued 
with  him  once  upon  this  subject.  Why  couldn't  he 
have  realized  how  much  better  it  would  have  been  had 
she,  Rose,  been  the  one  to  read  to  him  ? 

Why  couldn't  Madge  have  realized  this,  too  ? 


CHAPTER  XVI 

IT  was  an  endless  task  to  pick  the  Captain's 
peaches,  or  so  said  the  laborers  to  one  another 
while  they  worked,  for  he  possessed  an  eye  that 
missed  no  slightest  negligence  on  the  part  of  his  em- 
ployees. He  was  here  and  there  and  everywhere,  and 
not  a  speck  upon  a  peach  escaped  him.  The  imper- 
fect ones  were  laid  aside  for  quick  sale  to  canneries 
in  Georgia.  Only  the  perfect  fruit  was  put  in  crates 
for  the  Chicago  market.  And  every  peach  must  be 
handled  just  so  carefully,  and  placed  just  so  par- 
ticularly among  its  fellows,  or  else  the  picker  received 
a  sound  berating,  and  sometimes  a  dismissal. 

There  is  nothing  like  the  odor  of  a  peach  orchard  at 
harvest  tima  If  it  is  lovely  in  the  spring,  with  a 
fairylike  scent  and  beauty,  it  is  lovelier  when  all  its 
promise  is  fulfilled  and  substantial  to  the  taste  and 
smell.  The  pink-clad  branches  are  more  graceful 
than  the  heavy-laden  ones,  but  they  lack  the  bountiful 
richness  of  the  latter.  Nature  becoming  pregnant  is 
mysterious  and  alluring,  but  only  in  the  completion 
of  her  time  and  in  the  yielding  of  her  fruit,  does  she 
climb  to  heights  which  inspire  and  overjoy.  Those 

233 


234     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

who  have  helped  to  gather  a  harvest,  know  the  su- 
preme delight  of  it,  and  the  sense  of  exaltation  which 
takes  possession  of  them  in  the  apparent  drudgery  of 
the  garnering. 

A  few  days  after  Homer's  coming,  he  announced 
himself  entirely  rested  and  quite  strong  enough  to  go 
down  to  the  orchard.  Leaning  on  Gabe's  strong  arm 
he  made  the  trip  slowly,  and  with  many  pauses  to  ex- 
claim at  the  wonder  of  the  crop. 

"  I  thinned  the  fruit  unsparingly,"  said  Gabe.  "  I 
didn't  leave  two  peaches  anywhere  within  four  inches 
of  each  other.  I've  kept  the  trees  low,  so  it  is  easy 
picking,  but  those  damned  niggers  need  constant 
watching,  or  they'd  spoil  half  the  crop  for  me.  Every 
penny  I  make  out  of  this  sale  goes  into  my  Hotel, 
Homer." 

"  Is  it  for  summer  boarders,  Gabe  ? "  teased 
Homer. 

"  Summer  boarders  and  winter  boarders,  too," 
chuckled  Gabe.  "  Ain't  that  so,  Rose  ?  "  he  called 
over  his  shoulder  to  his  daughter  who  was  following 
with  Madge  and  Uncle  Jack,  the  latter  bearing  "  li'l 
Tawm,"  an  honor  which  made  him  perspire  unduly. 

"  I've  heard  you  say  so,  but  I  don't  know  a  thing 
about  it,  really,"  pouted  Rose.  "  I  don't  think  you 
treat  me  fairly  to  be  so  mysterious,  especially  as  I  am 
writing  all  your  letters  for  you  and  fairly  taking 
charge  of  the  building,  while  you  are  so  busy  here." 

"  That's  so,"  said  Gabe.     "  And  I'm  a  cruel  par- 


THE   SHELLEY S   OF.   GEORGIA     235 

ent.  All  the  same  I  won't  be  done  out  of  my  sur- 
prise. Now  here's  a  good  place  for  you  folks  to  sit. 
Hurry,  Jack,  and  fetch  more  cushions." 

"  I  don't  want  any,"  said  Kose.  "  Here  is  a 
blanket  for  the  baby." 

She  unfolded  a  shawl  she  had  carried  on  her  arm 
and  spread  it  out  upon  the  grass.  But  the  moment 
"li'l  Tawm"  was  placed  upon  it,  he  developed  a 
strenuous  desire  to  walk  over  the  edge,  and  Madge  and 
Homer  were  constrained  to  offer  their  help  to  Rose 
in  keeping  the  young  rascal  within  bounds. 

"  We'll  each  take  a  side,"  laughed  Homer.  "  It'll 
be  a  sort  of  game,  with  the  baby  as  a  large-sized,  ani- 
mated ball.  Gabe,  can't  you  guard  the  fourth  side  ?  " 

This  the  Captain  agreed  to  do,  and  the  four  had  a 
lively  time  with  their  prisoner,  who  enjoyed  being 
headed  off  as  much  as  anybody.  But  Gabe  could  not 
stand  leaving  the  pickers  long  to  their  own  devices,  so 
he  indulged  in  hurried  trips  about,  always  returning 
with  another  peach  for  them  to  sample,  and  being 
much  crestfallen  if  they  failed  to  go  into  proper 
ecstasies  over  it. 

The  baby  tired  of  the  fun  at  last,  and  went  to  sleep 
with  his  head  in  Eose's  lap.  She  turned  thoughtful, 
musing  upon  the  scene,  with  wide  dark  eyes  and 
serious  face. 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  asked  Homer,  tossing  her  a  peach. 

She  caught  it  with  a  smile,  and  set  her  white  teeth 
into  its  luscious  depths.  "  I  was  just  thinking,"  she 


236     THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

explained,  when  the  mouthful  was  consumed.  "  I 
was  thinking  of  Cuba  and  the  horrors  there.  It  all 
seems  like  a  dream.  And  I  was  wondering  how  it 
would  be  if  this  pleasant  land  of  ours  should  be  in- 
vaded. All  this  beauty  would  be  blasted.  These 
trees,  the  result  of  years  of  care,  would  be  cut  down 
ruthlessly—" 

"  Don't  talk  so,  Rose,"  shivered  Madge.  "  Let's 
just  be  thankful  that  peace  has  come  so  soon.  It  has 
been  bad  enough,  but  it  might  have  been  so  much 
worse." 

"  That  is  true,"  asserted  Homer.  "  In  history,  as 
wars  go,  this  Spanish-American  War  of  ours  will  not 
amount  to  much.  Yet  it  took  a  fearful  toll  of  the 
brave  boys  who  went  to  Cuba,  and  is  still  taking  it  in 
the  shape  of  sickness  and  privation,  both  there  and 
in  our  camps  at  home.  The  whole  thing  was  mis- 
managed from  the  very  start.  I  heard  one  of  the 
fellows  say,  while  we  waited  in  front  of  Santiago, 
'  Pshaw !  Let's  go  back  home  and  start  all  over  again/ 
A  good  many  of  the  rest  of  us  felt  that  same  way." 

"  Is  that  really  so  ?  From  the  newspapers  one  can 
never  tell  how  much  is  talk  and  how  much  is  fact." 

"You  may  be  sure  of  this,"  responded  Homer, 
rousing  to  energy.  "The  newspapers  were  not  al- 
lowed to  divulge  the  real  state  of  the  case.  Only  the 
soldiers  themselves  know  what  they  suffered,  and  they 
are  too  proud  to  spread  it  broadcast.  If  ever  we  go 
into  another  war,  I  hope  to  God  we'll  be  better  pre- 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     237 

pared  than  we  were  for  this.  And  another  thing,  I 
hope  politics  will  be  kept  out  of  it.  Men  shouldn't 
be  appointed  through  their  'pull/  to  care  for  an 
army  of  soldiers  and  recruits.  Such  fellows  bungle 
the  job  beyond  repair. 

"  The  trouble  with  us  Americans  is  that  we've  got 
such  swelled  heads,"  he  complained.  "  Take  that 
word,  '  American/  for  instance.  We  have  grabbed  it 
for  ourselves,  so  that  the  average  citizen  of  the  United 
States  considers  the  South  American  a  foreigner,  with 
no  right  to  this  appellation.  Folks  who  live  in 
Canada  are  called  Canadians.  Brazil  inhabitants  are 
Brazilians.  But  there's  no  such  word  as  '  United 
Statian.'  We  are  '  Americans/  if  you  please.  Like 
little  Jack  Homer,  we  sit  in  our  particular  corner, 
with  the  plum  of  our  democracy  on  our  little  thumb, 
and  invite  the  whole  world  to  witness  what  a  big  boy 
we  are.  Then  we  get  properly  slapped  in  the  face, 
and  we  start  to  wipe  out  the  fellow  who  slapped  us. 
But  while  we  have  been  busy  feeding  up  on  Christ- 
mas pie,  the  others  have  been  hardening  their  muscles. 
We've  got  the  thing  all  wrong,  and  we  will  always 
have  it  wrong,  I  am  afraid,  until  some  other  country 
comes  along  and  beats  us  good  and  plenty." 

"  I  thought  you  didn't  believe  in  war,  Mr.  Fort," 
said  Madge  gently.  "  Yet  you  sound  as  if  you'd  like 
to  see  us  prepare  for  it." 

"  So  I  should,"  answered  Homer  stoutly.  "  Yet 
I  don't  believe  in  war.  More  than  ever  now,  since 


238     THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

I've  been  in  the  field,  and  seen  something  of  its  hor- 
rors. Miss  Rose,  you  were  in  Cuba.  In  the  hos- 
pitals you  saw  a  moiety  of  the  suffering  which  went 
on  in  the  battles  themselves.  Wasn't  that  enough  to 
make  you  realize  that  war  is  —  hell  ?  " 

"  It  was,"  agreed  Eose.  "  And  I  too  believe  that 
we  should  be  prepared.  Then  at  least  some  of  the 
more  cruel  aspects  would  be  eliminated.  So  many 
lives  need  never  have  been  lost,  to  accomplish  the 
selfsame  ends  — " 

"  That's  so,"  interrupted  Gabe,  coming  up  behind 
them.  "  Eose  thinks  as  you  and  I  do,  Homer,  and  as 
all  earnest  people  must.  If  ever  we  have  another  war 
I  prophesy  that  we  will  not  go  into  it  with  the  same 
reckless  confidence  that  we  exhibited  in  this.  Our 
women  are  waking  to  the  fact  that  they  pay  the 
heaviest  toll  of  suffering  right  here  at  home.  They 
wouldn't  be  half  so  apt,  again,  to  invite  their  sweet- 
hearts to  be  soldiers,  and  to  cheer  at  the  sight  of  a 
uniform." 

"It's  a  funny  thing  —  what  you  said  about  the 
word  l  American,'  "  mused  Eose,  who  had  been  turn- 
ing over  Homer's  little  speech.  "  It  has  just  struck 
me  that  some  of  the  States  have  names  for  their  peo- 
ple, and  some  haven't.  For  instance  we  are  Georg- 
ians. There  are  Pennsylvanians,  and  Virginians, 
and  Californians.  But  there  are  no  Massachusetts- 
ians— " 

"  Instead  we  have  Bostonians,  who  think  they  rep- 


THE   SHELLEY S   OF   GEORGIA     239 

resent  the  entire  State,  and  Maniacs  from  Maine,  and 
pie-eaters  from  Connecticut  — " 

"  Or  Michiganians,  or  —  or  Illinoisians,  and  all 
that  sort  of  thing,"  continued  the  girl,  frowning  at 
Homer's  levity.  "  What  do  people  from  those  States 
call  themselves,  anyhow  ?  " 

"  They  say  proudly,  '  I  am  from  —  such  and  such 
a  State,  and  let  it  go  at  that,"  laughed  Gabe.  "  Well, 
Fort,  how  about  a  little  walk  over  to  the  wagons? 
I've  got  a  barrel  there  for  you  to  sit  on,  and  I'd  like 
you  to  see  how  we  handle  the  fruit." 

"  I'm  game,"  said  Homer,  rising  slowly  from  the 
ground. 

Rose  and  Madge,  left  alone  with  the  sleeping  child, 
were  silent  for  a  space,  each  occupied  with  her  own 
thoughts.  Then  Rose  spoke  softly,  for  she  had  been 
going  over  in  her  mind  what  had  just  been  said  of 
war. 

"  If  little  Tom  had  to  grow  up  to  fine  young  man- 
hood, just  to  be  shot  to  pieces  on  a  battlefield,  would  it 
not  seem  a  waste  ?  Yet,  oh  so  many  died  who  could 
not  have  been  much  beyond  twenty  —  and  almost  all 
had  sweethearts,  or  wives,  or  mothers  —  I  believe  I'd 
rather  he'd  die  now,  than  live  for  such  an  end." 

"  Poor  '  Li'l  Tawm,'  "  said  Madge  tenderly,  giving 
the  words  Minnie's  drawling  accent.  "  But  it  begins 
to  seem  as  though  he  might  be  lucky  little  Tom  after 
all.  He  is  lucky  now,  for  that  matter,  for  he  has 
many  to  love  him  and  to  care  for  him.  Rose,  do  you 


240     THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

ever  think  of  the  homeless  and  worse  than  homeless 
little  ones?  The  children  with  drunken  fathers, 
widowed  mothers,  impoverished  homes  ?  Those  with 
the  brand  of  illegitimacy  and  those  with  that  other 
brand  of  vicious  parenthood  ?  Do  you  ever  think  of 
the  poor  little  orphans  in  asylums,  bound  down  to 
rigid  routine,  trained  not  to  think,  and  molded  out  of 
all  semblance  to  healthy,  happy  childhood  ? " 

"  Of  course  I  do,"  grieved  Rose.  "  Who  wouldn't  I 
Tom  is  lucky.  Sometimes  I  think  we  have  no  right 
to  be  so  comfortable  here  at  home.  We  ought  to  be 
helping  those  not  so  fortunate,  and  especially  the 
children.  Don't  you  agree  with  me  ?  " 

"Yes,  I  do." 

"  Why  don't  you  use  Aunt  Betty's  money  —  give 
it  to  a  home,  or  something  ?  " 

"  That  is  just  what  I  won't  do,"  declared  Madge. 
"  I  have  no  use  for  institutions  as  such.  Neither  has 
Gabe.  Besides,  I  have  given  him  that  money  for  his 
'  Hotel.' " 

Rose  curled  her  lip  scornfully.  "An  old  hotel, 
when  little  children  needed  it!  Shame  on  you, 
Madge !  But  there !  For  all  I  know,  Father  is  build- 
ing some  kind  of  an  institution  —  forgive  me  for  the 
word,  and  for  speaking  as  I  did.  His  hotel  can't  be 
any  sort  of  an  asylum,  since  you  object  to  those,  but 
as  the  poor  cannot  be  reached  except  through  an 
asylum,  or  through  individual  effort  which  is  always 
inadequate,  I  really  do  not  see  that  you  have  any 


THE  SHELLEYS   OF.   GEORGIA     241 

solution  for  really  worth-while  philanthropy.  So 
what's  the  use?  Why,  hello,  Minnie!  You  don't 
mean  to  say  that  you've  come  back  for  good !  " 

Madge  started  and  followed  Hose's  eyes.  Mrs. 
Kemp,  now  simply  Minnie  Gray  again,  was  coming 
across  the  tall  orchard  grass  toward  them.  She  had 
hidden  her  nurse's  dress  under  a  long  linen  coat,  and 
carried  a  suit-case,  which,  in  her  excitement,  she  had 
forgotten  to  leave  at  the  house.  She  was  flushed  and 
breathless,  triumphant  and  yet  tremulous,  so  ridden 
by  her  state  of  mind  that  at  first  she  was  unable  to 
speak. 

She  sank  down  between  her  two  astonished  friends, 
without  a  word  of  greeting,  and  laid  her  hot  face  upon 
"  li'l  Tawm's  "  sturdy  body.  He  opened  his  sleepy 
eyes  and  favored  her  with  a  beatific  smile,  at  which 
she  caught  him  to  her  breast  and  kissed  him  hungrily. 
Holding  him  so,  she  looked  at  Madge  and  Eose. 

"  Yes,  I've  come  back  for  good,"  she  announced 
with  a  catch  in  her  voice.  "  As  soon  as  possible  I 
must  go  home  with  Mother.  Up  there  in  the  hills  I'll 
wait,  with  the  forests  and  the  great  wide  spaces  to 
teach  me  patience." 

"  Then  Tom  has  said  nothing  definite  — " 

Minnie  laughed  wildly.  "  He  has  been  very  defi- 
nite. He  loves  Mrs.  Kemp.  He  despises  Minnie 
Gray.  How  was  it,  Eose,  that  when  your  father 
brought  that  poor  down-trodden  creature  home,  you 
and  Madge  did  not  turn  from  her  in  disgust  ? " 


242     THE   SHELLEYS   OF    GEORGIA 

"Why,  Minnie,  you  are  not  like  yourself  at  all. 
There  was  nothing  about  you  then  to  inspire  anything 
but  tenderness  and  pity." 

"  Pity !  Ah,  yes.  That  is  something  to  which  I 
am  still  entitled  — I  and  <li'l  Tawm.'  To  Tom 
Blankenship  we  both  are  loathesome.  I  am  afraid  — 
horribly  afraid  — " 

"  Minnie,  what  has  happened  ?  Calm  yourself  and 
tell  me  all  about  it,"  ordered  Rose. 

"  I  told  him  what  he  must  do  to  win  Mrs.  Kemp, 
that's  all,"  said  Minnie.  "  It  was  the  same  thing  you 
had  told  him,  long  before.  He  knows  that  Mrs. 
Kemp  shares  your  opinion,  takes  your  stand,  and  de- 
mands the  self -same  things.  It  is  all  up  to  him  now 
—  it  is  all  up  to  him." 


CHAPTER  XVII 

WHAT  did  Tom  Blankenship  know,  which 
had  driven  Minnie  to  desert  him  before 
he  had  sufficiently  recovered  no  longer  to 
need  her  care  ?     Let  ns  return  and  gather  the  thread 
of  their  relations  up  to  this  same  August  morning, 
when  something  definite  occurred  which  forced  Min- 
nie to  snap  it  hurriedly  in  twain. 

It  may  seem  strange  that  Tom  did  not  at  once 
identify  Mrs.  Kemp  with  Minnie  Gray,  when  his 
sight  returned  to  him.  But  consideration  will  re- 
veal the  reasons  for  this  failure  on  his  part.  Over 
two  years  had  passed  since  he  last  saw  the  little  moun- 
tain girl.  At  that  time  she  was  only  seventeen  years 
old,  and  thin  with  the  awkward  angularity  of  youth. 
She  seemed  all  hands  and  feet.  Her  hair,  too,  was 
rough  and  uncared  for,  and  burnt  by  the  mountain 
sun.  She  wore  it  strained  tightly  back  from  her 
childish  face.  Her  eyes  then  possessed  the  rumina- 
tive qualities  of  a  brown-orbed  mountain  heifer's,  and 
character  had  yet  to  be  developed  in  her.  She  was 
browned  by  sun  and  wind,  coarsened  by  unceasing 
toil,  and  yet  sufficiently  pretty  in  spite  of  everything 
to  rouse  his  momentary  interest.  So  slight  had  been 
243 


244     THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

the  attention  he  paid  her,  that  since  he  left  her  he 
had  scarcely  given  her  a  thought  until  Rose  forced 
him  to  it. 

Between  his  memory  picture  and  Mrs.  Kemp  lay 
an  abyss  so  deep  that  no  effort  on  his  part  could  pos- 
sibly have  bridged  it.  In  reaching  motherhood  Min- 
nie had  reached  maturity,  and  though  still  slender, 
she  had  rounded.  Her  seclusion  before  and  after  the 
birth  of  "  li'l  Tawm  "  had  bleached  her  skin,  and  re- 
stored her  hair  to  its  original  glossy  tints.  Her 
suffering  had  molded  her  and  given  her  strength  and 
poise.  Under  Rose's  tutelage,  her  carriage  had  be- 
come graceful,  her  hands  soft  and  well-cared  for,  and 
she  had  quickly  acquired  a  veneer  of  culture  that  was 
now  becoming  part  of  her  very  self.  She  was  quite 
unmistakably  "  a  lady,"  which  Minnie  had  not  been. 
She  was  moreover  interesting,  mysterious,  alluring  — 
all  qualities  foreign  to  the  ignorant  girl  of  seven- 
teen. Even  if  Tom  had  recognized  that  the  elusive 
likeness  which  Mrs.  Kemp  bore  to  some  one  he  had 
known  before,  was  a  likeness  to  the  girl  he  had 
wronged,  he  would  have  counted  it  an  insult  to  his 
nurse  to  make  such  a  comparison.  It  is  safe  to  say 
that  the  two  entirely  distinct  personalities  were  never 
associated  by  him.  They  lay  as  far  apart  as  the 
poles. 

After  the  scene  between  himself  and  Mrs.  Kemp, 
in  which  he  finally  promised  to  be  good,  relations 
were  strained  between  them.  Mrs.  Kemp  attempted 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     245 

to  act  as  though  it  had  never  been,  and  at  first  she 
succeeded  admirably.  But  what  could  she  say  or  do 
to  combat  those  beseeching  eyes  of  Tom's,  which  fol- 
lowed her  about  the  room  and  spoke  as  eloquently  of 
his  love  as  any  words  he  could  have  voiced  ?  In  spite 
of  herself  she  became  silent  and  embarrassed,  avoid- 
ing his  gaze  and  absenting  herself  as  frequently  as 
possible.  This  last  made  Tom  feel  injured.  He 
was  amused  at  her  embarrassment,  and  took  pleasure 
in  increasing  it  by  throwing  into  his  expression  all  he 
could  of  the  worship  he  dared  not  speak.  But  her 
absence  was  a  weapon  he  could  not  combat.  During 
its  lengthening  intervals,  he  had  time  to  foresee  what 
he  must  soon  endure  without  her,  and  to  wonder  if 
he  did  well  to  be  obedient. 

Another  thing,  fear  haunted  him  lest  Rose  betray 
him.  He  knew  the  girls  met  often,  and  in  spite  of 
his  confident  assertion  that  Mrs.  Kemp  would  believe 
him,  he  grew  more  and  more  to  feel  that  she  would 
incline  to  take  the  stand  Eose  had  adopted.  He  be- 
gan dimly  to  realize  that  this  was  the  only  possible 
stand  for  a  modern  intelligent  woman,  and  to  per- 
ceive that  his  respect  for  Mrs.  Kemp  would  decrease 
if  she  did  not  take  it.  But  he  hoped  she  would  not, 
while  he  trembled  lest  she  would. 

What  was  the  barrier  between  them,  of  which  she 
spoke  so  positively?  Was  it  on  her  side?  If  so, 
then  he  must  know  what  it  was,  and  meet  it  face  to 
face,  or  else  how  could  he  hope  to  vanquish  it  2  So 


246     THE   SHELLEY S   OF   GEORGIA 

he  bolstered  up  his  courage  and  sought  an  oppor- 
tunity. 

It  came  unexpectedly,  as  such  opportunities  usually 
do,  and  on  this  very  morning  which  the  Shelleys  spent 
with  their  guest  in  the  peach  orchard,  watching  the 
picking  of  the  fruit.  The  day  was  sunny,  but,  with 
carefully  shaded  eyes,  Tom  had  been  helped  out  upon 
the  awninged  Gallery  to  which  the  long  French  win- 
dows of  his  room  gave  access.  Meanwhile  Mrs. 
Kemp  and  Mrs.  Smith  "  turned  out "  his  bed  to  air, 
and  gave  the  large  chamber  a  vigorous  cleaning. 
Xathan  washed  windows  and  beat  rugs,  and  ran 
errands,  with  his  usual  good-nature,  and  Tom,  safe 
from  all  the  bustle  and  confusion,  yet  near  enough 
to  listen  and  look  on,  by  turns  made  the  two  women 
laugh  or  scold  at  his  multifarious  orders. 

"  Don't  you  touch  the  inside  of  the  bureau,  any- 
how," he  called.  "  I  have  everything  just  as  I  like  in 
there,  and  nothing  must  be  disturbed." 

"  It  has  already  been  done,"  responded  Mrs.  Kemp 
from  within.  "  Things  may  not  be  where  you  like 
them,  but  they  are  where  you  can  find  them,  which  is 
much  preferable,  I  think." 

"  Well,  you  leave  my  desk  alone,"  he  growled. 
te  My  private  papers  — " 

"  Love-letters  ?  "  she  mocked.  "  I  promise  you  I'll 
be  discreet  and  not  read  one." 

"  You  can  give  ISTathan  those  things  in  the  corner 
of  the  wardrobe,"  he  further  ordered.  "  I  suspect 


THE   SHELLEY S   OF   GEORGIA     247 

he's  been  wearing  'em,  anyhow,  and  he  might  as  well 
do  it  openly  as  on  the  sly.  I  reckon  I'd  better 
part  with  all  my  clothes,  for  I'll  be  so  thin  I  can't 
wear  'em." 

"  We'll  fatten  you,  so  don't  get  discouraged  yet," 
retorted  Mrs.  Kemp.  "  Are  these  the  ones  you 
mean  ?  "  She  came  to  the  window  with  an  armful  of 
tailored  garments. 

"  Those  are  the  ones.  Here  you,  Nathan,  come 
here." 

"  Fer  de  Lawd's  sake,  boss,"  stammered  the  colored 
boy  guiltily,  when  he  came  through  the  window  and 
saw  the  pile  of  clothes.  "  W-whut  you  want  wid 
me?" 

"  See  those  clothes  ? " 

"Yassuh!  Y-yassuh!  I  see  'em!  But  I  swar 
to  Gawd,  boss,  it's  de  fust  time  I'se  took  a  look  at  'em, 
sence  you  wore  'em  las'.  I  s-swar  to  G-Gawd  it  is !  " 

"Who  said  it  wasn't?  Do  you  think  they'll  fit 
you  ?  "  asked  Tom  carelessly. 

Cunning  dawned  in  Nathan's  eyes.  He  now  per- 
ceived that  he  was  not  to  be  accused,  but  to  receive  a 
gift.  That  changed  everything. 

"  Co'se  dey'll  fit  me,"  he  said  proudly.  "  Specially 
dat  black  Prince  Abbut.  It  goes  on  lak  it  wuz  made 
f  o'  me,  boss,  dat  it  do.  Ca'line  —  dat's  my  gal,  boss 
—  she  say  I  looks  so  good  in  dat  ar  coat  dat  she 
bleeged  ter  say  ( Yes '  when  I  propose  to  her  wid  it 


248     THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

"  When  will  you  be  married  ?  "  asked  Mrs.  Kemp 
with  a  twinkle. 

"  Nex'  Sunday,  ma'am.  Thank  you  kin'ly,  boss. 
Dis'll  make  a  scrumptious  weddin'  outfit  fer  me  — 
better  trueso  dan  whut  Ca'line  has  got  fer  her  own 
se'f.  Thank  you,  thank  you,  boss." 

Nathan's  gratitude  was  wordy,  and  occupied  the 
foreground  until  Tom  ordered  him  to  shut  up  and  get 
out.  The  housekeeper  now  came  through  the  window 
with  an  armful  of  cushions,  and  while  she  beat  and 
dusted  them,  she  gave  minute  particulars  of  last 
Sunday's  sermon,  and  rendered  Tom  quite  desperate. 
He  sandwiched  orders  in  about  every  possible  or  im- 
possible thing,  and  listened  for  Mrs.  Kemp's  musical 
comments  or  replies. 

At  last  the  cleaning  was  over  and  the  housekeeper 
and  Nathan  departed  to  see  about  the  lunch.  Tom 
called  softly,  but  received  no  answer.  Mrs.  Kemp 
must  have  gone,  too.  He  wanted  to  get  inside  now, 
for  it  was  growing  hot  under  the  awning,  so,  after 
waiting  patiently  for  a  reply  and  getting  none,  he 
gathered  his  courage  together,  resolved  to  make  an 
attempt  to  enter  without  help,  and  rose  feebly  from 
his  chair. 

It  was  hard  work  —  that  journey  all  alone.  But 
from  the  support  of  his  chair  back,  he  reached  for 
and  grasped  the  shutter,  and  then  the  window-frame. 
Holding  on  desperately,  he  urged  his  body  over  the 
sill.  There  the  table  was  handy  and  he  reached  it 


THE  SHELLEY S   OF   GEORGIA     249 

breathlessly,  pausing  to  lean  upon  it  while  he  gained 
strength  to  proceed  into  the  room.  As  he  looked 
about  he  saw  Mrs.  Kemp  beside  his  desk. 

She  had  heard  neither  his  call  nor  entrance.  She 
was  holding  a  photograph  of  his  which  had  been  taken 
a  couple  of  years  before,  and  which  displayed  him  as 
he  had  then  appeared  in  all  his  arrogant  and  manly 
beauty.  So  absorbed  was  she  in  its  contemplation 
that,  holding  on  by  chairs,  by  the  bed,  by  anything 
that  might  serve  to  help  him,  he  went  softly  toward 
her  and  was  almost  at  her  side  when  he  noted  sud- 
denly that  her  eyes  were  wistful  and  full  of  tears. 
As  he  paused  uncertainly,  she  spoke  in  a  half  whis- 
per, to  the  portrait  in  her  hand. 

"  I  love  you.  Oh,  I  do  love  you,"  she  murmured 
yearningly. 

He  gave  a  cry  of  triumph,  she  an  exclamation  of 
surprise.  But  before  she  could  replace  the  picture 
or  ward  him  off,  or  say  one  single  word  in  explana- 
tion, he  had  his  arms  about  her  and  was  planting 
burning  kisses  on  her  lips.  "  You  darling !  "  he 
whispered.  "You  darling!  You  cannot  evade  me 
any  longer,  for  I  heard  you  say  you  love  me.  You 
belong  to  me  now,  do  you  understand  ?  " 

At  first  she  made  no  effort  to  resist  him.  Indeed 
her  own  lips  answered  his  hungrily,  and  her  arms 
stole  round  his  neck.  But  when  his  first  transports 
were  over,  and  she  felt  him  stagger  with  sudden  weak- 
ness, she  was  quick  to  seize  her  advantage  and  to 


250     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

force  him  into  a  chair.  Then,  cheeks  still  aflame 
with  the  fire  of  his  kisses,  she  faced  him. 

"  Of  course  you  know  the  result  of  this  madness  on 
your  part,"  she  panted. 

"  That  you  are  mine  now,  and  will  soon  be  my 
wife!" 

"  No,  never !  The  result  is  this  —  that  I  must 
leave  you." 

"Are  you  crazy?" 

"  I  wish  I  were,"  she  mourned.  "  If  I  were,  then 
indeed  I  might  yield  to  you.  But  I  am  most  hope- 
lessly sane,  and  there  is  nothing  before  us  but  re- 
nunciation." 

"  Say  that  you  love  me,"  he  besought  with  wily 
eyes. 

"  I  do  love  you.     But  — " 

"  And  I  love  you.  What  matters  besides  those 
facts?" 

"  Eight  matters,"  she  said  firmly.  "  You  had  no 
right  to  take  me  in  your  arms  or  kiss  my  lips.  You 
had  no  right,  Mr.  Blankenship." 

"  I  had  the  best  of  right,  after  what  I  had  just 
heard  you  say,"  he  boasted.  "What  greater  could 
there  be  than  that  3 " 

"  The  right  of  honesty,"  she  retorted.  "  You  have 
not  been  honest  with  me,  nor  I  with  you.  Love  can- 
not last  that  is  based  upon  deception.  I  would  only 
lose  respect  for  you  and  for  myself  if  I  allowed  myself 
to  be  conquered  by  it.  You  heard  me  say  I  loved  you, 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     251 

but  that  meant  nothing.  I  can  control  that  love  and 
live  it  down.  I  shall  never  let  it  control  me  — 
again." 

The  last  word  was  so  low  he  missed  it.  Intent 
upon  making  her  surrender,  he  bent  frowning  brows 
upon  her. 

"  Deception  ?  "  he  repeated.     "  What  deception  ?  " 

"  Is  there  nothing  you  have  kept  from  me,  Mr. 
Blankenship  ?  Have  you  been  —  entirely  frank  — 
with  me  ? " 

"  Why  not  ?  "  he  parried  lightly.  "  Is  it  your  idea 
that  I  should  hold  up  my  whole  past  life  for  your  in- 
spection ?  I  have  asked  you  no  questions.  I  am  en- 
tirely willing  to  take  you  on  trust.  My  love  would 
turn  a  deaf  ear  to  anything  that  might  be  said  against 
you.  Forgive  my  plain  speech,  for  of  course  there 
could  be  nothing  said.  I  am  just  trying  to  convince 
you.  Should  you  not  be  as  generous,  and  show  as 
sturdy  a  belief  in  me  ?  I  think  you  should.  Come 
to  me,  dear,  and  let  me  kiss  away  your  doubts  ?  " 

But  she  stood  quietly  before  him,  her  hands  clasped 
tightly  and  her  eyes  wide  with  pain.  Although  he 
held  out  his  arms  pleadingly,  she  made  no  move  to 
enter  them. 

"  You  are  not  fair  to  me,"  she  said  at  last.  "  You 
have  me  at  a  disadvantage,  but  I  am  resolute.  I  have 
suffered  much  in  my  life,  and  I  know  that  happiness 
is  not  possible  for  us  unless  I  share  your  confidence. 
I  should  have  much  preferred  to  have  you  tell  me 


252     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

what  I  am  obliged  to  tell  you  —  that  the  barrier  of 
which  I  spoke  is  of  your  own  making.  I  know  — " 

n  What  ?     What  do  you  know  ?  " 

"  I  know  —  the  story  — " 

"Yes,  yes!     Goon!" 

"The  story  — of  Minnie  Gray." 

His  eyes  flamed  fire  with  rage.  "  Ah ! "  he  ex- 
claimed between  his  teeth,  striking  a  clenched  fist 
upon  his  knee.  "  I  might  have  known  that  Rose 
would  not  keep  faith  with  me.  Damn  her  for  a  mis- 
chief-making, meddling  — " 

"  Stop !  —  Before  you  say  what  I  could  never 
forgive,"  she  interposed  with  steady  eyes.  "  It  is 
true  that  Eose  and  I  have  discussed  this  subject,  but 
not  until  I  had  first  told  her  that  I  knew  you  were  the 
father  of  Minnie's  baby  —  I  learned  it  from  a  source 
quite  different  from  any  you  could  guess." 

"  I  don't  believe  you.  It  was  Rose  who  told  you. 
Who  else  could  it  have  been  ?  And  now  I  swear  that 
she  shall  pay  for  it  — " 

"  I  am  speaking  the  absolute  truth.  Rose  is  not 
responsible  for  my  knowledge  of  this." 

"  Then  Madge  Shelley,  or  Captain  Gabe  — " 

"  !Not  one  of  them  betrayed  you,  though  to  my 
thinking  it  would  not  be  betrayal.  Tom  Blanken- 
ship,  if  I  had  been  ignorant  of  this,  and  in  my  igno- 
rance I  had  consented  to  marry  you  —  don't  you  un- 
derstand that  they  would  not  have  been  true  friends 
to  me  unless  they  warned  me  ?  " 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     253 

"  That's  what  they've  made  you  think,"  he  snzered. 
"  But  I  say  that  the  past  is  closed  and  done  with. 
Minnie  Gray  is  not  worthy  your  commiseration.  I 
have  been  indiscreet,  but  no  more  so  than  other  men 
who  are  still  bachelors  at  thirty-six.  I  will  be  faith- 
ful and  loyal  to  you  —  more  faithful  and  more  loyal 
than  a  less  experienced  man  cduld  ever  be.  You  see 
I  know  the  difference  between  gold  and  dross.  I'll 
never  fail  you,  dear." 

"What  you  might  be  to  me  is  not  the  question., 
Minnie  has  a  son  whose  rights  demand  considera- 
tion." 

"  I  suppose  you  saw  the  woman  and  her  brat  at  the 
Shelleys'  ?  " 

"  Perhaps." 

"  And  you  took  her  word,  as  Hose  did,  that  the  child 
was  mine  ?  Why  ?  Why  do  you  good  white-minded 
women  at  once  assume  that  one  man  alone  is  re- 
sponsible for  a  situation  like  this  vicious  girl's? 
You  decide  everything  by  your  own  virtuous  point  of 
view,  and  prattle  of  love  as  part  of  such  lives  as  hers. 
You  don't  know  what  you  are  talking  about !  " 

She  was  white  to  the  lips.  "  I  do  know  what  I  am 
talking  about,"  she  repeated  quietly.  "  It  is  you 
who  are  unjust  and  unfair,  Mr.  Blankenship,  and 
while  you  hold  one  member  of  my  sex  in  such  con- 
tempt, I  should  fear,  indeed,  to  trust  myself  in  your 
keeping.  You  make  the  mistake  of  differentiating 
between  woman  and  women.  Of  woman  you  sound 


254     THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

the  praises.  Women  you  scorn.  I  won't  sink  to 
your  level.  Any  argument  you  may  advance  is  use- 
less. I  have  made  up  my  mind  irrevocably,  and  I 
tell  you  finally  that  unless  you  make  full  and  honor- 
able amends  to  Minnie  Gray,  Mrs.  Kemp  will  never 
marry  you." 

He  laughed  bitterly.  "You  speak  in  paradoxes. 
If  I  make  full  amends  to  Minnie,  it  means  marriage, 
according  to  Rose  Shelley.  If  I  marry  her,  how  can 
I  marry  you?  Friendship  is  not  possible  between 
us  two,  so  in  any  case  I  should  have  to  part  from  you. 
This  I  will  not  do.  I  once  thought  I  loved  Rose,  and 
in  the  suffering  to  which  her  scorn  condemned  me,  I 
had  a  foretaste  of  the  hell  into  which  I  must  descend 
if  I  lose  you.  It  is  more  than  you  have  any  right 
to  demand.  I'll  have  you  yet,  at  any  cost." 

"Then  marry  Minnie,"  she  besought  him. 
"  Marry  Minnie  Gray." 

"  And  lose  you  ?     No,  by  Heaven !  " 

"  Marry  her  and  make  me  happy !  " 

"  Make  you  miserable,  you  mean.     No !  " 

11  Marry  her  and  save  yourself  and  me !  " 

"  And  damn  us  both  ?     No,  no !  " 

She  held  out  imploring  hands.  Like  a  child  ask- 
ing a  wanted  toy,  she  murmured  beseechingly, 
"Please!  For  my  sake!" 

He  rose  from  his  chair  more  quickly  than  she  had 
thought  him  able,  and  started  toward  her.  She  did 
not  shrink  from  him.  On  the  contrary  she  stretched 


THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA     255 

out  her  hands  to  meet  his  own,  and  lifted  her  face 
courageously  to  his.  This  balked  his  passion. 
Tenderly  he  kissed  her. 

"  I  don't  even  know  your  first  name,"  he  said  sadly. 
"  I  don't  know  where  you  live,  or  what  your  past  life 
has  been.  You  speak  of  sorrow,  and  sometimes  your 
face  is  very  sorrowful.  Give  me  your  confidence,  my 
darling,  and  see  how  understanding  I  shall  be.  I 
love  you  so  much  that  I  never  could  condemn  you." 

"  I'll  tell  you  all  my  story,  if  you  wish,"  she  an- 
swered readily.  "  But  first  you  must  offer  marriage 
to  the  woman  you  have  wronged." 

Her  persistence  stung  him  past  endurance.  Fling- 
ing her  off  with  sudden  angry  strength,  he  cried, 
"  Do  you  suppose  that  Minnie  is  the  only  woman  I 
have  '  wronged '  ?  " 

Her  eyes  grew  wild.  "Don't  say  that,"  she 
begged.  "  Don't  say  that !  Don't  tell  me  that  other 
children  look  to  you  for  fatherhood !  Don't  say  it !  " 
And  then,  in  the  same  breath,  imploringly,  "  Tom,  is 
that  true  ? " 

He  shook  his  head,  moved  by  her  agony.  "  No,  it 
is  not  true.  So  far  as  I  know  Minnie  is  the  only  one 
of  her  class  whom  I  have  made  a  mother.  I'll  do 
anything  you  ask  of  me  —  but  marry  her." 

«  That  is  all  I  do  ask." 

"  It  is  the  one  thing  I  will  not  do." 

"Very  well!     Good-by,  Mr.  Blankenship." 

"  You  mean  that  you  will  leave  me  ?  " 


256     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

"  I  must  Until  you  consent  to  do  what  I  ask,  I 
cannot  see  you  again.  Good-by." 

He  started  forward,  but  the  room  was  dim.  She 
slipped  aside,  and  was  gone,  even  as  he  spoke  her 
name.  He  staggered  over  to  the  door  and  found  it 
locked.  He  pounded  on  it,  and  called  Xathan. 

But  before  the  colored  boy  could  answer  his  sum- 
mons, she  had  crammed  her  things  into  her  bag  and 
left  the  house.  He  knew  her  well  enough  to  realize 
that  she  would  never  return. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

TOM,  left  alone,  gave  way  completely  to  the 
sorrow  and  despair  which  now  over- 
whelmed him.  He  saw  before  him  a  future 
bereft  of  everything  to  make  it  worth  the  living. 
Her  absence  accomplished  this,  that  it  made  him  com' 
prehend  to  the  fullest  just  what  she  had  come  to 
mean  to  him.  At  first  he  was  desperate,  physically 
prone  and  mentally  distraught.  He  could  not  think 
connectedly,  and  the  strides  he  had  made  toward 
complete  recovery  were  in  danger  of  being  all  un- 
done. He  wanted  to  see  no  one  but  Mrs.  Kemp,  and 
in  his  darkened  room,  which  he  locked  against  every 
one  but  Xathan,  he  allowed  his  torment  free  rein,  giv- 
ing himself  entirely  over  to  its  grinding  pain. 

Lying  upon  his  couch  with  face  turned  to  the  wall, 
he  lived  again  through  the  hours  he  had  spent  with 
her.  He  felt  again  those  first  mad  kisses  on  her 
lips,  that  somehow  seemed  like  kisses  he  had  given 
her  before,  only  so  much  more  sweet  and  full  of 
ecstasy  that  there  was  no  comparison  between  the 
reality  and  that  elusive  haunting  memory.  Again 
he  felt  her  yield  to  his  embrace,  and  grew  intoxicated 
with  the  knowledge  that  she  loved  him. 

257 


258     THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

And  all  to  come  to  this  —  that  he  had  lost  her. 
For  a  mere  principle  she  had  renounced  him.  Her 
love  for  him  had  not  been  what  it  should  be,  or  it 
must  surely  have  overridden  everything  but  just  the 
fact  that  they  had  been  created  for  each  other.  It 
must  be  that  women  did  not  love  like  men,  or  they 
could  not  give  up  so  easily. 

Marry  Minnie  Gray?  Marry  that  ignorant  com- 
monplace creature,  and  spend  his  life  beside  her  ?  It 
was  unthinkable,  actually  absurd.  He  had  nothing  in 
common  with  such  a  woman.  There  was  not  one 
thought  in  his  brain  which  she  could  comprehend. 
There  was  not  one  situation  in  his  life  which  she 
would  grace.  Her  presence  would  be  torture.  She 
might  be  teachable,  but  who  would  teach  her  ?  Xot 
he,  a  man  in  love  with  such  perfection.  He  saw  a 
home  in  which  she  was  the  wife  and  groaned  aloud 
in  contemplation  of  it.  She  was  repulsive  to  him. 
He  would  have  none  of  her.  He  hated  the  very 
sound  of  her  name. 

And  then  his  thoughts  returned  to  her  he  loved  and 
all  was  changed.  He  fancied  her  the  mother  of  his 
children,  and  the  picture  was  so  vivid  and  delightful 
that  he  could  not  dismiss  it.  With  his  child  upon 
her  breast,  she  became  a  Madonna,  worthy  his  rever- 
ence and  worship.  He  could  have  knelt  to  her. 

.  He  saw  her  in  a  hundred  pretty  poses  —  in  a  low 
chair,  sewing,  like  his  mother ;  reading  in  the  library 
with  the  lamplight  glowing  upon  her  pretty  hair; 


THE   SHELLEY S   OF.   GEORGIA     259 

picking  roses  in  the  garden  where  she  was  the  love- 
liest of  all  the  flowers;  or  sitting  by  the  fire  with 
her  head  against  his  knee  and  his  hand  cupping  her 
cheek  while  they  two  exchanged  intimate  noth- 
ings. .  .  . 

And  then  again  he  held  her  in  his  arms,  and  called 
her  dear  tender  names,  and  kissed  her  soft  red  mouth. 
Ah,  God!  The  exquisiteness  of  the  dream  was  al- 
most enough  to  make  the  torment  of  it  bearable.  Bet- 
ter to  love  a  woman  such  as  she,  and  live  in  unending 
regret  for  what  might  have  been,  than  to  sink  down 
to  Minnie's  level  in  order  to  achieve  mere  dull  mor- 
ality. 

What  was  it  she  had  said  ?  "  Unless  you  make 
full  and  honorable  amends  to  Minnie  Gray,  Mrs. 
Kemp  will  never  marry  you." 

It  was  a  pretty  conceit  of  hers,  which  he  had  often 
noted,  this  speaking  of  herself  as  a  third  person.  In 
her  earnestness  she  had  become  confused,  or  she 
would  not  have  made  a  statement  such  as  this. 

"  Unless  you  make  full  and  honorable  amends  to 
Minnie  Gray,  Mrs.  Kemp  will  never  marry  you." 

Was  it  perhaps  possible  that  in  her  mind  such 
amends  did  not  include  marriage?  Was  this  so? 
Why,  he'd  do  anything,  pay  over  any  sum,  acknowl- 
edge the  boy  and  take  him  into  his  own  home  even,  if 
she  demanded  it.  There  was  nothing  he  would  hesi- 
tate at  doing,  which  made  her  his.  Then  he  remem- 
bered her  subsequent  pleading,  and  knew  himself  too 


260     THE   SHELLEYS   OF.   GEORGIA 

hasty.  "  Marry  her  and  make  me  happy,"  she  had 
said.  There  was  no  getting  out  of  it.  Her  meaning 
had  been  clear.  Amends,  to  her,  implied  all  that  it 
had  to  Rose.  He  could  not  do  this  thing. 

"  Marry  her  and  make  me  happy."  The  irony  of 
it !  Could  she  find  happiness  in  mere  abstract  devo- 
tion, and  in  condemning  Minnie,  too  —  for  the  igno- 
rant country  woman  could  never  adapt  herself  to  his 
environment  —  ?  Far  truer  would  it  have  been  for 
her  to  say,  "  Marry  her  and  ruin  all  our  lives." 

Yet  she  had  vowed  she  loved  him !  And  she  did 
love  him,  too.  He  knew  at  last  why  she  had  been  so 
joyous  over  his  returning  sight.  He  had  been  joyous 
also,  but  what  did  it  matter  now  ?  What  difference 
did  it  make  whether  he  was  blind  or  not,  if  the  light 
of  his  life  was  to  be  forever  gone  ?  Everything  was 
worthless  without  her  to  give  it  worth.  Life  was  at 
its  darkest,  without  one  ray  of  hope. 

So  that  day  passed,  and  the  next  and  the  next. 
His  friends  grew  anxious  at  his  persistent  refusal  to 
see  them,  and  feared,  they  knew  not  what.  Doctor 
Pearsall  gained  admittance  by  bribing  Nathan,  and 
shook  his  head  over  the  patient  who  had  so  suddenly 
taken  a  turn  for  the  worse.  "  If  this  keeps  up,  he'll 
suffer  a  relapse,"  said  the  old  Doctor.  But  it  kept 
up,  unceasingly. 

"  Unless  you  make  full  and  honorable  amends  to 
Minnie  Gray,  Mrs.  Kemp  will  never  marry  you" 

The  phrase  seemed  written  in  letters  of  fire  upon 


THE   SHELLEY S   OF   GEORGIA     261 

his  brain.  It  mocked  him,  and  when  he  tried  to  dis- 
miss it,  still  it  clung. 

"  Marry  her  and  make  me  happy."  Such  altru- 
istic irony !  Such  clever  evasion !  He  could  not  get 
it  out  of  his  mind,  and  from  long  brooding  on  it,  at 
last  he  read  anew  its  meaning. 

It  was  on  Sunday  afternoon  that  suddenly  it 
dawned  upon  him  what  Mrs.  Kemp  must  have  really 
meant.  Her  paradox  was  no  paradox.  She  herself 
had  supplied  him  with  a  solution  of  the  whole  diffi- 
culty, which  he  had  been  fool  enough  not  to  perceive 
at  the  time,  and  which  it  has  taken  all  these  days  of 
brooding  to  bring  to  his  attention.  The  dear  little 
rogue  had  indeed  meant  exactly  what  she  had  said. 
He  could  marry  Minnie  Gray,  and  still  make  Mrs. 
Kemp  happy. 

In  his  sudden  relief  at  his  new  translation  of  her 
speech,  he  could  have  shrieked  out  his  joy.  He  sent 
posthaste  for  Nathan,  and  bade  him  fling  every  win- 
dow wide.  Under  his  impatient  supervision,  the 
negro  hurriedly  laid  out  fresh  linen,  bathed,  shaved 
and  dressed  his  master,  and  then  rode  off  to  Gabe 
Shelley's  with  a  note.  So  certain  now  was  Tom 
that  he  began  to  make  his  plans,  and  already  in 
imagination  he  saw  her  laughing  eyes  and  felt  her 
arms  about  him.  " l  You  stupid  boy,'  she'd  say. 
'  Why  didn't  you  guess  my  riddle  sooner  ? ' ' 

The  Shelleys  had  their  Sunday  dinner  at  two 
o'clock,  so  that  the  servants  might  have  the  afternoon 


262     THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

free.  They  were  at  the  table  still,  when  ^Nathan 
brought  Gabe  Tom's  note.  He  read  it  aloud  to  the 
assembled  family,  of  which  Fort  was  temporarily  a 
part. 

"  DEAR  GABE  : 

"Hurry  over  here  as  fast  as  you  can,  and  bring 
Eose  with  you.  I've  thought  of  something.  I'll  get 
my  own  way  yet,  and  give  you  and  Rose  yours,  too. 
We  will  all  be  happy.  Hurry  like  the  devil. 

"  T.  B." 

"  Now  what  do  you  suppose  he  means  by  that  ? " 
asked  Gabe,  folding  the  sheet  of  paper  and  looking 
quizzically  at  his  audience. 

"He  refers  no  doubt  to  the  matter  he  and  Eose 
were  discussing,"  said  Madge  tranquilly,  seeing  a  way 
to  dispose  of  the  subject  comfortably  before  their 
guest. 

"  That  must  be  it,"  cried  Rose,  her  face  clearing. 
"  Perhaps  he  sees  reason  at  last." 

"He  may  not  see  reason,  but  he  certainly  has  it 
back  of  the  note,  somewhere,"  suggested  Homer  hope- 
fully. He  was  already  looking  much  better  and 
vowed  he  owed  it  to  Madge,  who  cared  for  him  inde- 
fatigably. 

"  We'll  go,  I  suppose  ? "  said  Gabe  to  Rose. 

"  Of  course,"  she  flashed.  "  I  wouldn't  miss  it  for 
anything." 

She  sent  a  confident  look  into  Minnie's  troubled 


THE   SHELLEYS    OF   GEORGIA     263 

eyes.  "Keep  from  worrying,"  she  advised  in  a 
whisper.  "  You'll  see !  Everything  is  coming  out 
all  right.  He  is  going  to  give  in." 

Minnie  smiled  oddly.  Had  Rose  been  less  ab- 
sorbed, she  might  have  wondered  at  this  smile.  But 
she  only  thought  of  it  as  inspired  by  gratitude  which 
Minnie  could  not  voice  in  Homer's  presence.  Even 
had  the  girls  known  that  Gabe  had  told  Fort  most  of 
the  story,  they  would  have  hesitated  in  discussing  it 
before  him.  All  interest  in  the  excellent  dinner  was 
now  quite  lost,  by  Eose,  at  least,  and  she  hurried  her 
father  until  he  complained  that  she  ought  to  be 
ashamed  to  order  her  old  daddy  about  the  way  she 
did. 

They  drove  to  Tom's  house,  as  being  the  quickest 
way  to  get  there,  and  Gabe's  lively  mare  gave  them  no 
chance  for  speech.  But  father  and  daughter  were 
so  well  attuned  that  they  understood  without  words, 
just  what  each  hoped  and  feared  from  the  coming 
interview. 

In  his  impatience  Tom  had  made  Nathan  help 
him  down-stairs,  for  the  first  time  since  his  return 
from  Cuba.  He  was  seated  in  the  window,  watching 
for  them,  and  called  to  them  that  the  door  was  open 
and  not  to  stop  to  ring.  They  made  their  way  into 
the  big  parlor,  and  over  to  his  chair.  He  waved  them 
to  seats,  showing  a  face  all  flushed  and  eager  with 
anticipation. 

"  I  have  just  thought  what  she  meant/'  he  ex- 


264     THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

claimed,  with  no  preliminaries.     "  I'll  do  exactly  as 


"  First  you  had  better  explain  what  she  suggested," 
interposed  Gabe,  testing  a  delicate  Chippendale  chair 
before  trusting  it  with  his  weight. 

"  She  said  she  could  never  marry  me  unless  I  made 
full  and  honorable  amends  to  Minnie  Gray,"  ex- 
plained Tom. 

"  Who  said  this  ?  "  Gabe  was  deliberate. 

"Mrs.  Kemp,"  cried  Tom,  chafing  at  his  dense- 


.  "  Oh !     She  did,  did  she  ?    When  ?  " 

"  Just  before  she  left  me  the  other  day.  You 
knew  she  had  left,  because  she  went  straight  to  your 
house.  Doctor  Pearsall  told  me  so." 

"  Did  he  tell  you  as  well  that  the  whole  town  is 
positive  that  you  have  been  behaving  so  queerly  be- 
cause she  refused  you  ? "  asked  Gabe  with  a  provok- 
ing smile. 

"  No,  but  of  course  they  would  be.  It  is  so,  any- 
way," said  Tom  sulkily. 

"  So  she  left  because  you  proposed  to  her  ?  " 

"Yes.     Didn't  she  tell  you?" 

"  No,  but  I  kind  of  suspected  it,"  said  Gabe  com- 
fortably. He  reached  for  a  palm-leaf  from  the  table, 
and  fanned  himself  as  he  talked. 

Rose  had  perched  herself  on  the  broad  window- 
seat,  facing  the  two  men,  and  now  she  interrupted. 

"  Mrs.  Kemp  told  me  something  of  what  had  oc- 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     265 

curred,"  she  announced.  "  So  that  I  got  a  fair  idea 
of  the  situation." 

"  Well,  that  is  what  I  am  driving  at,"  exclaimed 
Tom,  almost  beyond  self-control.  "  Now  I've  just 
thought  of  a  way  to  satisfy  everybody.  I'll  marry 
Minnie  to-morrow,  if  you  say  so." 

Eose  looked  up  in  glad  surprise.  "That's  fine, 
Tom.  I  knew  you  were  all  right  at  bottom." 

"  It's  the  best  news  I've  heard  this  long  time,"  de- 
clared Gabe. 

"Yes,  I'll  marry  her  to-morrow  —  to-day  —  the 
sooner  the  better,"  declared  Tom.  "  You  can't  hurry 
matters  enough  to  suit  me.  Where  is  she  ?  In  the 
hills?  Hurry  her  down  here,  will  you?  I'll  send 
my  carriage  after  her,  and  perhaps  you,  Eose,  will  go 
to  break  the  glad  tidings  and  prepare  her  a  little  for 
the  ceremony.  Will  you  ?  " 

Eose  was  about  to  tell  him  that  Minnie  was  at  the 
house,  when  Gabe  motioned  her  to  silence.  "  You 
have  certainly  made  up  your  mind  in  a  hurry,"  he 
drawled.  "  Now  fire  ahead,  and  tell  me  what  is  back 
of  this.  You  might  as  well,  for  I  won't  stir  one  step 
towards  getting  this  ceremony  performed,  until  you 
show  me  your  hand.  You  play  a  good  game,  but  you 
can't  blufi  me.  You  have  some  scheme  in  your 
mind." 

"  Of  course  I  have  —  the  plan  Mrs.  Kemp  sug- 
gested to  me." 

"What's  that?" 


266     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

" { Marry  her  and  make  me  happy.'  That  was 
what  she  said  to  me,  and  I,  like  a  fool,  never  saw 
what  she  meant  until  to-day." 

"Well?     What  did  she  mean?" 

"  Why,  that  I  should  give  Minnie  my  name,  of 
course,"  laughed  Tom,  so  relieved  at  his  plan  and  his 
certainty  of  its  finding  favor  in  his  lady's  eyes,  that 
he  failed  to  note  how  Gabe's  hand  caressed  his  chin, 
or  how  keen  and  disapproving  his  eyes  were  growing. 
"  And  then,  as  soon  as  a  decent  interval  has  passed,  I 
can  give  her  a  divorce  and  marry  Mrs.  Kemp.  In 
this  way  I  will  reinstate  Minnie,  legitimatize  the  boy, 
please  everybody,  and  in  the  end  gain  happiness  for 
myself  and  her.  Don't  you  see  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  see,"  commented  Gabe,  while  Rose's  glow- 
ing face  grew  downcast.  "  But  I  reckon  you  are  still 
a  long  way  off  from  our  point  of  view,  Tom.  I 
thought  it  was  kind  of  sudden  for  you  to  be  coming 
around." 

"  Tom,"  said  Eose,  very  low.  "  Don't  you  know 
Mrs.  Kemp  better  than  that  ?  She  did  not  mean  any- 
thing of  that  sort.  She  would  not  be  your  wife  if 
you  divorced  Minnie.  Moreover,  I  feel  certain  that 
Minnie  would  refuse  to  marry  you  on  any  such 
terms." 

"  She  needn't  know  the  terms."  Tom  was  sullen 
and  crestfallen. 

"  Ah,  but  she'd  soon  learn  them.  And  she'd  never 
sue  you,  nor  ever  give  you  grounds  to  sue  her,"  cried 


THE   SHELLEY S    OF   GEORGIA     267 

Ttose  warmly.  "  No,  Tom,  if  Minnie  marries  you, 
it  will  be  with  the  expectation  that  you  will  be  her 
•husband,  and  the  father  of  your  boy." 

"  The  father  of  my  boy !  "  repeated  Tom  bitterly. 
"  That  boy  has  become  a  millstone  which  you  are  all 
determined  to  hang  about  my  neck.  Why  should  I 
feel  any  special  interest  in  this  nameless  brat  ?  What 
have  I  to  do  with  him,  or  he  with  me  ?  " 

"  Tom,  he  is  your  own.  He  bears  your  mark,"  ex- 
•claimed  Eose.  "  Besides,  I  have  often  heard  you  say 
that,  even  if  there  were  no  life  beyond  the  grave,  a 
•man  could  always  attain  immortality  through  his 
children.  You  may  never  have  another  son,  Tom. 
And  so  I  think  you  must  have  something  to  do  with 
'this  boy,  in  spite  of  yourself,  for  through  him  you 
will  live  on  after  your  death.  He  will  represent  you, 
and  by  his  means  you  will  impress  yourself  on  count- 
less future  generations  — " 

"  Stun1  and  nonsense ! "  said  Tom  roughly. 
"Now,  leaving  out  your  own  decided  objections  to 
my  plan,  why  not  find  out  what  Mrs.  Kemp  thinks 
•about  it  2 " 

"I  will.  I'll  call  her  up  on  the  telephone,  at 
once." 

Rose  ran  from  the  room,  upstairs  to  his  chamber, 
whither  the  telephone  had  been  removed  during  his 
illness. 

Tom  turned  to  Gabe  with  freedom,  for  now  he  was 
man  to  man  and  could  say  what  he  pleased. 


268     THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

"All  this  fuss  about  Minnie  Gray,"  he  growled, 
moody  in  his  reaction  from  the  eagerness  which  had 
possessed  him.  "  Why,  Gahe,  if  every  man  who  had 
wronged  a  woman  ended  by  marrying  her,  some  of 
the  outcasts  would  have  fifty  husbands,  and  the  re- 
spectable women  would  have  to  get  along  without 
any.  You  know  that !  " 

"Tom,  you  mistake  my  meaning  in  urging  this 
marriage  upon  you,"  returned  Gabe  quietly.  "  Leav- 
ing out  the  small  per  cent,  of  natural  wantons, 
the  majority  of  so-called  prostitutes  enter  their 
life  of  degradation  through  loving  unwisely.  Even 
so,  this  first  man  concerned  might  find  a  basis  for 
square  dealing  with  the  woman,  aside  from  matri- 
mony. I  am  not  urging  this  for  Minnie's  sake.  She 
transgressed,  and  could  no  doubt  redeem  herself  with- 
out your  help.  But  the  child  needs  you.  He  is 
yours.  He  has  the  right  to  your  paternity,  and  to 
the  honor  of  both  his  parents.  The  moment  he  came 
into  the  world  he  had  claims  which  could  not  be  ig- 
nored." 

"Bosh!"    muttered    Tom.     "Who    cares    for    a 


"  The  country  cares !  "  thundered  Gabe.  "  It  has 
got  to  care.  Nature  has  laid  down  a  law  which  says 
that  a  child  must  have  two  parents,  and  ages  of  civili- 
zation have  been  spent  in  making  both  of  those  par- 
ents alike  responsible  for  the  being  they  bring  into 
the  world.  That  is  why  Minnie's  claim  is  just.  Lit- 


THE   SHELLEY S   OF   GEORGIA     269 

tie  Tom  needs  you,  and  you,  his  father,  should  be 
thankful  that  he  is  a  fine,  strong,  healthy  boy.  You 
have  been  fortunate  enough  to  escape  disease." 

Tom  made  a  gesture  of  disgust,  but  Gabe  con- 
tinued, bent  on  establishing  his  point.  "Yes,  you 
have  been  fortunate,  and  the  baby  has  been  fortunate. 
Ah,  Tom!  The  poor  little  crippled  bodies  I  have 
seen !  The  poor  little  deformed  minds !  And  blind 
—  you've  had  a  taste  of  blindness,  Tom.  How  would 
you  like  to  bear  it  always,  because  of  your  father's 
self-indulgence  ?  Suppose  little  Tom  had  been  born 
blind,  or  lame  ?  " 

"Nonsense!" 

"  Not  nonsense.  Good  sound  common-sense,  which 
the  women  of  our  land  are  waking  to,  now  that  they 
have  their  female  doctors  to  tell  them  what  was  so 
carefully  kept  from  their  ears  before.  Prudery  has 
had  its  day,  Tom,  and  the  double  standard  is  seeing 
the  last  of  its  time  as  well.  Eugenics  is  an  almost 
unknown  science  now,  but  it  won't  be  long  before 
every  man  and  woman  will  be  required  by  law  to 
show  a  clean  bill  of  health  when  they  marry.  You 
laugh,  Tom,  but,  much  as  I  want  to  see  you  marry 
Minnie,  were  I  not  sure  of  your  physical  condition  I'd 
oppose  the  union." 

"  I  am  surprised  that  any  consideration  could  move 
you  one  iota  from  your  position,"  mocked  Tom. 

"  I  knew  you  would  be,"  responded  Gabe  dryly. 
"  As  a  matter  of  fact,  Tom,  I  am  not  half  so  inter- 


270     THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

ested  in  you  as  you  imagine.  Rose  has  set  her  heart 
on  making  you  over,  but  personally  I  don't  care  a 
damn  about  you.  Your  change  of  heart  interests  me 
only  in  the  light  of  its  bearing  on  the  boy.  It  is  the 
future  of  the  race  that  we  must  consider,  not  the  pres- 
ent. That  has  pretty  well  taken  care  of  itself  al- 
ready, and  in  your  person  has  just  now  informed  me 
that  I  am  a  meddlesome  old  man  who  had  better  be  at 
home  attending  to  his  own  business.  Well,  Eose  ?  " 

Rose  came  quickly  across  the  room,  directly  to- 
Tom.  "  Mrs.  Kemp  is  horrified  that  you  so  misread 
her  meaning,"  she  said  clearly.  "  Mrs.  Kemp  wishes 
me  to  assure  you  that  nothing  was  further  from  her 
thoughts  than  that  you  should  divorce  Minnie.  In- 
deed, all  she  asks  is  that  you  live  happily  with  Min- 
nie. This,  she  says,  will  make  her  happy,  too." 

"  Tell  her  that,  having  known  her,  happiness  with- 
out her  would  be  impossible  to  me,"  stormed  Tom. 
"  Ask  her  how  she  can  expect  a  man  of  my  ability 
and  social  standing  to  content  himself  with  a  girl 
like  Minnie  Gray  ?  Tell  her  I'll  end  by  blowing  out 
my  brains,  and  she'll  have  only  herself  to  thank." 

"  That  is  a  cowardly  message,  which  I  forbid  Rose 
to  deliver,"  replied  Gabe.  "  Face  the  issue  like  a 
man,  Tom.  Play  fair.  Take  your  medicine.  It 
may  be  a  bitter  pill  to  swallow,  but  after  you  get  it 
down,  it'll  do  you  a  sight  of  good." 

Tom  did  not  answer,  but  flung  himself  back  in  his 
chair  and  turned  his  face  away.  In  his  action  Gabe 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     271 

rightly  read  an  intention  to  end  the  interview  which 
had  by  now  grown  painful  to  them  all,  so  he  nodded 
to  Rose,  and  they  went  out  quietly,  leaving  bitterness 
and  disappointment  behind  them. 

Tom  knew  now  that  there  would  be  no  compromise, 
and  he  was  still  determined  never  to  yield  to  Gabe's 
and  Rose's  counsel.  He  would  marry  Mrs.  Kemp, 
in  spite  of  them  all.  Yes,  and  in  spite  of  her,  too. 
As  for  Minnie  and  that  boy  —  let  them  never  come  in 
his  sight  if  they  did  not  wish  to  feel  his  wrath.  Let 
them  keep  away  if  they  did  not  wish  to  suffer.  He 
had  suffered  enough  through  both  of  them,  God  knew ! 
And  now,  in  his  last  stand,  he  had  no  support  but 
pride.  Would  that  sufficiently  uphold  him  ? 


CHAPTER  XIX 

GABE  had  an  errand  at  his  newspaper  office, 
so  he  parted  with  Eose  in  front  of  Tom 
Blankenship's  home. 

"  Don't  look  so  blue,  girlie,"  were  his  final  wo-ds 
to  her.  "  Rome  wasn't  built  in  a  day." 

She  smiled  bravely,  and  stood  on  tiptoe  for  a  kiss. 
"  I  never  was  so  sorry  for  anybody  as  I  am  for 
Minnie,"  she  said  softly.  "  You  should  have  heard 
her  voice  when  I  told  her  Tom's  proposition.  She 
was  more  than  horrified,  and  now  I  know  she  is  locked 
in  her  own  room,  crying  her  eyes  out.  She  couldn't 
tell  me  what  to  say  to  Tom.  I  had  to  make  it  up. 
All  this  has  hurt  her  cruelly." 

"  Let  her  alone  for  a  while,"  advised  Gabe,  "  The 
tears  will  do  her  good.  After  the  storm  has  spent  it- 
self, see  if  you  can't  put  a  rainbow  into  her  sky. 
Tell  her  I  think  it  very  encouraging  that  Tom  is 
working  so  hard  to  solve  the  difficulty.  It  is  natural 
that  he  should  twist  and  dodge  and  double,  but  he 
will  be  kept  facing  the  right  road,  and  he  is  bound  to 
take  it  at  last.  But  there !  You  know  how  to  pre- 
sent the  matter  ever  so  much  better  than  I,  because 
you  understand  Minnie  better." 

272 


THE   SHELLEY S   OF   GEORGIA     273 

"  I'm  not  sure  that  I  do,"  returned  Eose  thought- 
fully. "  Minnie  has  not  been  herself  since  she  re- 
turned to  us.  There  is  something  strange  in  her  man- 
ner, and  in  her  longing  to  go  home." 

"  I  think  you  may  exaggerate  a  little,  dear.  Min- 
nie has  had  much  to  bear,  and  you  should  be  patient, 
very  patient.  Good-by." 

"  Good-by,  Father.  Don't  get  interested  and  stay 
in  that  old  office  the  rest  of  this  lovely  afternoon. 
Madge  and  I  want  you." 

Gabe  nodded  as  he  gave  the  mare  her  head,  and 
the  restive  little  animal  side-stepped  down  the  street 
before  settling  into  the  long  stride  that  pleased  him 
most.  Eose's  eyes  kindled  at  the  picture  the  pretty 
creature  made,  and  then  darkened  again  as  her 
thoughts  returned  to  the  interview  just  past. 

But  on  this  glorious  day  it  was  quite  impossible  to 
continue  melancholy  or  distraught.  The  citizens  of 
Salem  were  on  their  porches,  and  each  one  knew  and 
loved  the  beautiful  girl.  From  every  side  they  hailed 
her  with  merry  greetings,  to  which  she  was  quick  to 
respond.  The  children  ran  to  meet  her  and  hung 
upon  her  skirts.  Even  the  dogs  barked  gaily,  and 
one  terrier  in  particular  waltzed  backward  before 
her  until  she  grew  fairly  dizzy  at  the  sight,  and  or- 
dered his  small  owner  to  take  up  his  wriggling  body 
and  bear  it  home  again. 

Some  there  were  in  Salem  who  were  outspokenly 
curious  regarding  Mrs.  Kemp.  Only  the  most  inti- 


274     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

mate  friends  of  the  Shelley  family  —  those  who  could 
be  trusted  to  keep  their  own  counsel  —  knew  that  she 
was  Corporal  Gray's  daughter.  Gabe  was  always 
furnishing  excitement  for  the  town,  and  on  top  of  the 
sensation  caused  by  bringing  a  baby  into  his  home, 
with  a  queer  mother  who  shrank  from  meeting  folks, 
"  just  like  she  had  something  to  be  ashamed  of,"  he 
had  raised  a  mountain  of  conjecture  about  his  big 
hotel.  Therefore,  Eose  had  to  run  a  gauntlet  of 
eager  seekers  for  information.  Little  old  ladies 
strolled  down  to  their  gates  when  they  saw  her  com- 
ing, and  after  a  rapid  fire  of  questions  were  loth  to  let 
her  go.  Young  gentlemen  were  also  on  their  garden 
paths,  quite  by  accident  of  course,  and  wanted  to 
detain  her.  Girl  acquaintances,  who  thought  her  odd 
but  worthy  of  imitation,  stopped  her  for  chats  while 
they  appraised  her  slyly,  taking  mental  notes  of  her 
dress  and  hat,  or  her  parasol  or  shoes,  and  quizzing 
her  as  to  where  she  bought  her  gloves  and  perfumes. 
Like  a  queen  she  held  a  little  court  before  each  house 
she  passed,  dismissed  would-be  escorts,  parried  eager 
questions,  and  escaped  at  last,  flushed  and  smiling  and 
breathless,  into  the  quiet  country  road  which  led 
home. 

"  Goodness  gracious !  "  she  exclaimed  aloud,  fan- 
ning herself  vigorously  with  her  handkerchief.  "  It 
is  fearfully  nice  to  be  so  popular.  I  wonder  if  it  is 
because  of  the  father  I  have,  or  because  of  the  girl  I 
am?" 


THE   SHELLEY S   OF   GEORGIA     275 

To  a  certain  coterie  it  was  undoubtedly  because  of 
the  girl  she  was,  and  she  dimpled  as  she  remembered 
the  admiring  glances  of  the  young  gallants  who  had 
tried  to  intercept  her.  Then  her  active  thoughts 
flew  on  ahead  of  her,  and  she  wondered  if  Minnie 
were  still  weeping,  and  where  Madge  was,  and  Homer 
Fort.  With  winged  feet  she  sped  on  and  into  her 
own  front  gate.  Ah,  it  was  as  she  had  imagined. 
Homer  was  in  the  big  chair  beneath  the  trees,  and 
Madge,  on  the  old  settee,  was  reading  aloud  to  the 
buyer.  Minnie  was  nowhere  to  be  seen. 

All  the  life  seemed  to  go  out  of  Rose.  She  drooped 
visibly  as  she  went  slowly  up  on  the  big  porch,  tossed 
parasol,  gloves  and  hat  upon  the  table  there,  and  then 
hesitated,  with  downcast  eyes  and  petulant  mouth, — 
a  pretty  sulky  child. 

Madge  looked  up  and  called  her,  but  she  did  not 
answer.  With  a  slight  sigh,  the  elder  woman  laid 
her  book  aside,  and  went  to  greet  the  girl.  "You 
look  tired,  dear.  Did  you  have  a  bad  time  with 
Tom?" 

In  a  few  words  Rose  spoke  of  what  had  passed,  try- 
ing to  seem  her  usual  bright  self,  but  failing  so  sig- 
nally that  Madge  could  not  ignore  her  attitude. 
"  What's  the  matter,  Eose  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  I  do  think,"  burst  out  Rose,  as  if  against  her  will. 
"I  do  think  it  is  scarcely  necessary  for  you  to  be 
quite  so  attentive  to  that  man.  He  is  nothing  but  a 
business  friend  of  Father's.  Surely  it  is  not  essen- 


276     THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

tial  for  you  to  wait  upon  him  every  single  minute, 
read  to  him,  feed  him,  hang  upon  his  words  as  though 
he  were  a  marvel,  instead  of  an  ordinary  —  common- 
place —  red-headed  —  freckled  —  ugly  — " 

"  Eose !  "  Madge's  quiet  voice  recalled  the  girl 
abruptly.  "  Do  you  realize  what  you  are  saying  ? 
Mr.  Fort  is  Gabe's  friend,  and  I  am  proud  and  glad 
to  call  him  mine  as  well.  He  should  be  yours,  too, 
and  would  be  if  you  were  not  so  unreasonable. 
There,  there !  I  didn't  mean  to  be  so  cross,  but  you 
are  usually  frank  and  generous  to  a  fault,  and  that 
makes  it  all  the  harder  to  understand  your  hostility 
toward  Mr.  Fort,  and  your  resentment  at  my  playing 
the  part  of  hostess.  It  is  not  like  you,  Eose." 

"  I  am  sorry,"  murmured  Eose  contritely.  "  I 
don't  know  what  does  get  into  me,  sometimes,"  she 
confessed,  with  one  of  those  sudden  confiding  impulses 
which  were  irresistible.  "  I  love  you,  oh,  so  dearly, 
Madge,  and  I  love  my  father  so  dearly,  too,  that  I 
cannot  bear  to  have  your  thoughts  stray  away  from 
him.  When  I  see  you  reading  to  Mr.  Fort,  and  ap- 
parently so  friendly  with  him,  something  comes  up 
into  my  throat,  and  I  get  wild  and  quite  unlike  my-,1, 
self.  Then  I  say  things  I  do  not  mean,  and  after-  I 
wards  I  feel  so  badly  —  but  it  seems  to  be  something 
I  cannot  help.  Perhaps  I  have  been  through  so  much 
in  the  last  few  months  that  I  am  not  responsible,  and 
you  should  be  patient  with  me.  What  do  you 
think?" 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     277 

She  smiled  engagingly  at  Madge,  to  find  the  older 
woman  regarding  her  intently,  with  a  new  and 
strange  expression  dawning  in  her  eyes. 

"  Why  do  you  look  at  me  so  ? "  asked  Eose,  blush- 
ing furiously.  "Is  there  anything  odd  about  me? 
Have  I  suddenly  turned  black,  or  green,  or  some- 
thing?" 

"  No,  but  you  have  turned  red,"  laughed  Madge. 
"  My  dear,  I  believe  I  know  what  ails  you." 

"  Do  tell  me,"  begged  Eose.  "  I  am  dying  to  find 
out." 

"  No,  I  sha'n't  tell  you,  but  I  shall  prescribe  for 
you.  Will  you  obey  my  orders,  you  naughty  girl  ?  " 

Eose  put  up  both  hands  in  mock  appeal.  "  I've 
got  to,  since  I  am  not  twenty-one,"  she  said.  "  But 
don't  be  too  hard  upon  me,  Mother  dear." 

"If  you  call  me  that,  I  shall  be  merciless,"  re- 
torted Madge.  "  First  you  are  to  kiss  me  and  tell  me 
you  are  sorry,  and  promise  to  be  good.  Then  I  am 
going  in  to  rest,  and  I  shall  expect  you  to  read  to 
Mr.  Fort  while  I  am  gone,  and  to  see  that  he  gets  his 
egg  and  milk  at  exactly  half-past  four.  Will  you  do 
that?" 

Eose  put  her  arms  around  Madge  and  gave  her  a 
hearty  hug  and  kiss.  <c Where  is  Minnie?"  she 
whispered. 

"  In  her  room." 

"  I  thought  so.  I  am  sorry.  But  I  won't  bother 
her  just  yet  I'll  do  as  you  bid  me,  Mother  — 


278     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

Madge,  though  it  is  a  distasteful  task,  and  one  I  would 
forego  if  I  could." 

All  the  same  her  eyes  were  dancing  as  she  went 
over  and  took  a  seat  beside  Homer,  who  had  been 
looking  on  wistfully  at  the  pretty  byplay  between  the 
two  women  on  the  porch. 

"  I  am  ordered  to  entertain  you  for  a  while,  Mr. 
Fort,"  she  announced  demurely.  "  As  we  can  neither 
of  us  help  ourselves,  we  shall  have  to  make  the  best 
of  it  Is  this  the  article  that  tyrannical  Madge  was 
reading  ?  Where  did  she  leave  off  ?  " 

As  Rose  held  out  the  magazine  for  Homer  to  find 
the  place,  he  took  it  from  her  hands  and  closed  it 
firmly. 

"  I  thought  I  was  to  read  to  you,"  she  protested. 

"Mrs.  Shelley  does  that,"  he  answered.  "The 
rare  moments  in  which  you  condescend  to  stay  with 
me  are  too  precious  to  be  so  wasted.  If  you  are  here 
to  amuse  me,  you  must  do  as  I  want  you  to." 

Eose  folded  her  hands,  and  adopted  an  expression 
of  patient  resignation.  "  Very  well,"  she  said 
meekly.  "  What  shall  I  do  first  ?  " 

"  Look  at  me." 

She  raised  long  dark  lashes  and  showed  him  laugh- 
ing eyes. 

"Next?" 

"  Talk  to  me." 

Obediently  she  began.  "  Talk  is  the  name  for  a 
method  of  communication  between  souls  by  means  of 


THE  SHELLEY S   OF   GEORGIA     279 

lips,  tongue,  teeth,  and  palate.  Sometimes  the  lungs 
are  used  as  well,  and  sometimes,  for  emphasis,  the 
hands,  feet,  or  other  parts  of  the  anatomy.  When 
talk  deals  with  abstract  questions,  it  becomes  con- 
versation. When  it  tackles  politics  or  religion,  it  be- 
comes argument.  When  it  descends  to  personal  dis- 
agreement, it  becomes  quarreling.  And  when  it  is 
used  as  a  way  of  entertaining,  it  becomes  rhetoric, 
oratory,  declamation,  discourse,  flights  of  eloquence, 
or  plain  speech-making.  Which  will  you  have,  Mr. 
Port?" 

"  I'll  have  conversation,  if  you  please." 

"  I  can't  do  that  all  by  myself." 

u  I'll  keep  up  my  end  if  you'll  keep  up  yours,"  he 
answered,  and  they  laughed  gayly,  like  two  happy 
children. 

"  Start  me,"  she  begged.  "  Ask  me  a  question  and 
get  me  going.  You  don't  know  what  a  flood  you  are 
unchaining,  or  you  might  beg  off  beforehand.  I'm  a 
talker  when  I  get  started." 

"  All  active  thinkers  are,"  he  answered. 

"  No  compliments,  please." 

"  Mentioning  a  fact  is  not  making  a  compliment," 
he  averred.  "  Now  if  I  told  a  woman  she  was  beauti- 
ful when  she  wasn't,  that  would  be  a  compliment." 

"  It  would  be  a  lie,  you  mean,"  said  Kose.  "  If  I 
informed  you  that  your  hair  was  auburn  instead  of 
red,  it  would  be  — " 

"  A  kind  evasion,"  he  retorted.     "  But  you  can't 


280     THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

hurt  my  feelings  by  calling  my  hair  red,  Miss  Eose. 
I  am  proud  of  my  carroty  locks." 

"Eeally?" 

"  Yes.  They  are  distinctive.  People  always  no- 
tice me.  For  the  same  reason  I  am  glad  I  am  homely 
and  awkward,  and  usually  freckled.  Every  one  be- 
gins by  feeling  very  sorry  for  me.  '  What  an  unpre- 
possessing fellow ! '  they  say  to  themselves.  '  We 
must  be  extra  nice  to  him,  to  make  up  to  him  for  his 
misfortunes.'  So  they  set  out  to  be  extra  nice,  and 
this  makes  me  feel  very  pleasant  and  responsive,  and 
first  thing  you  know  they  are  saying,  '  After  you  get 
to  know  him,  you  really  don't  mind  his  looks  one  bit.' 
Husbands  are  never  jealous  of  me.  Mothers  regard 
me  as  safe  and  reliable.  So  I  am  privileged  to  have 
many  friends  among  both  men  and  women  —  and  all 
because  I'm  homely." 

Rose  laughed. 

"  You,  for  instance,  would  be  on  the  defensive  with 
a  handsomer  man,"  continued  Homer,  regarding  her 
narrowly.  "  Isn't  that  true  ?  " 

"  Of  course  not,"  denied  Eose. 

"  Wait  a  bit  To  how  many  of  your  men  friends 
do  you  talk  naturally  and  freely  ? " 

"To  all  who  talk  freely  —  and  naturally  —  to 
me." 

"  How  many  do  so  ?  " 

She  pretended  to  count  on  her  fingers. 

"  Name  them." 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     281 

"  Father,  for  one." 

"Yes?" 

"  Judge  Oglethorpe,  for  another." 

"  Go  on." 

"  The  minister,  Doctor  Pearsall,  Uncle  Jack  — " 

"  Get  down  to  the  younger  ones,  and  keep  to  the 
one  color." 

"  Tom  Blankenship  — " 

"  Did  he  always  ?  " 

She  flushed  rosily.  "No,"  she  confessed. 
"  Among  the  young  men  here  one  has  to  be  careful. 
But  that  is  the  fault  of  their  bringing  up.  They  have 
been  taught  to  regard  women  as  creatures  set  apart 
for  admiration  and  worship,  instead  of  sensible 
human  beings,  with  brains  and  the  ability  to  use  'em. 
They  always  start  in  by  being  silly.  Before  they  go 
very  far  with  me  they  discover  that  I  don't  like  it, 
so  then  they  take  refuge  in  silence  and  eloquent 
glances.  How  tired  it  does  make  me!  "  she  ex- 
claimed, outspoken  in  her  indignation.  "  Here  am 
I,  educated,  well-read,  interested  in  the  news  of  the 
day  and  eager  for  information.  I  like  men  intel- 
lectually, and  would  like  to  have  some  real  comrades 
among  them.  But  what  is  the  result  of  any  such  at- 
tempt on  my  part?  Those  near  my  own  age 
promptly  give  way  to  a  species  of  insanity  which  they 
call  '  falling  in  love.'  If  I  am  friendly,  then  I  am 
giving  them  encouragement.  If  I  evade  them,  I  am 
a  coquette,  drawing  them  on  by  holding  aloof.  I  am 


282     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

forced  to  look  to  the  older  men  —  between  the  ages 
of  fifty  and  ninety  —  but  to  them  I  am  merely  a 
child,  whose  opinions  should  never  be  treated  seri- 
ously. The  consequence  is  that  I  must  either  de- 
pend for  friends  upon  girls  who  are  occupied  just 
now  in  making  conquests,  and  in  talking  of  nothing 
else  except  clothes,  or  upon  older  women  whose  minds 
are  taken  up  with  their  homes  and  babies.  Madge  is 
my  only  real,  true  friend,  outside  of  Father." 

"  How  about  this  Mrs.  Kemp  ?     And  me  ?  " 

"  Mrs.  Kemp  has  so  far  been  a  responsibility,"  she 
said  frankly.  "  But  she  is  going  to  be  another  friend, 
and  for  that  I  am  thankful.  As  for  you — "  she 
paused. 

"Well?  "he  encouraged. 

"  I  don't  know  you  well  enough  to  place  you  yet. 
I  do  know  that  I  could  not  have  spoken  as  I  have 
just  done  to  you,  if  you  were  like  those  others  — " 

"  I  am  not  like  those  others,"  he  declared.  "  Miss 
Rose,  there  is  always  danger,  when  a  young  and  sus- 
ceptible man  meets  a  young  and  beautiful  girl  — 
there  is  always  danger  that  he  may  fall  in  love.  That 
should  be  his  misfortune,  not  his  fault.  I  myself 
have  never  seen  much  fun  in  having  it  expected  of 
me.  Flirtations  are  waiting  round  the  corner  every- 
where. Girls  are  taught  early  to  consider  sex  their 
most  effective  weapon,  and  to  be  on  the  lookout  for  a 
mate.  They  raise  shy  eyes  to  every  newcomer,  and 
ask  as  plainly  as  if  they  spoke  aloud,  '  Are  you  the 


THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA     283 

man  who  is  to  be  my  husband  ? '  We  men  object 
sometimes  to  such  frank  appraisal.  We  would  like 
to  be  taken  on  our  merits,  and  allowed  to  stand  or  fall 
for  what  we  are,  and  not  for  what  we  might  become. 
I  cannot  imagine  anything  nobler  or  more  inspiring 
than  a  real  friendship  with  an  intelligent  woman.  I 
have  many  such  friendships,  and  I  hope  to  have  many 
more.  I  count  Mrs.  Shelley  as  my  partner  in  one  of 
them.  May  I  also  count  you,  Miss  Rose  ?  " 

Rose  looked  seriously  into  his  eyes.  The  expres- 
sion of  them  reassured  her.  He  meant  all  he  said. 

"  Of  course  I  warn  you,"  he  continued  with  a  smile, 
"  it  may  be  my  lot  to  fall  in  love  with  you.  But 
should  I  do  so  I  should  treat  the  malady  with  proper 
respect,  and  with  no  levity.  I  should  even  be  willing 
to  discuss  it  with  you,  and  to  try  any  remedy  you 
might  suggest.  And  you  might  possibly  fall  in  love 
with  me,  red  head  and  all.  That  is  a  risk  that  men 
and  women  take,  when  they  are  friends.  To  my 
thinking  it  is  a  risk  worth  while.  How  about  you  ?  " 

She  was  embarrassed,  plainly  at  a  loss.  This  frank 
discussion  of  the  possibilities  alarmed  her.  She 
knew  how  to  parry  the  advances  of  the  amorous  fel- 
lows she  had  known,  but  Fort's  clear,  judicious  state- 
ment of  fact  was  something  she  had  never  encount- 
ered in  any  other  man. 

« I  tell  you  what,"  he  beamed  suddenly.  "  We'll 
mark  out  certain  lines  for  our  friendship.  Here !  " 
He  drew  pencil  and  paper  from  his  pockets,  and 


284     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

sketched  a  map  of  a  highway,  traversing  valleys  and 
hills,  with  here  and  there  another  road  branching 
off. 

"  This  highway  is  called  Comrade  Street,"  he  said, 
and  wrote  it  down.  "  It  starts  at  the  Bridge  of  Ac- 
quaintance, and  goes  down  through  the  Valley  of 
Douht  and  Circumspection,  up  the  Hill  of  Under- 
standing, to  the  Heights  of  Friendship.  We  have 
traveled  through  the  valley,  I  think,  and  up  the  hill 
to  the  heights.  Already  I  catch  a  glimpse  of  the  view 
beyond,  which  we  two  may  behold  together.  But 
now  the  bypaths  to  Love  fork  out  invitingly.  We 
will  put  up  'No  Trespassing' — so  —  before  them 
all.  There,  how  is  that?  The  warnings  will  be 
heeded  by  us  both,  and  so  will  hold  us  safely  in  the 
path." 

"  But,"  objected  Eose,  with  mischief  in  her  eyes, 
"some  men  would  be  tempted  by  such  warnings. 
No  path  is  so  inviting  as  the  forbidden  one." 

"  That  is  true,"  he  assented  gravely.  "  It  will  be 
your  part,  Miss  Eose,  to  keep  my  eyes  ahead.  If  I 
should  side-step,  you  must  seize  my  hand  and  pull  me 
on.  Keep  the  no-trespassing  signs  so  big  and  ugly 
that  I  get  not  the  slightest  hint  of  the  wonderful 
beauties  of  the  secret  paths  beyond  them,  which  all 
lead  to  the  selfsame  goal.  I  have  not  the  protection 
of  being  in  love  with  some  one  else.  I  am  heart- 
whole  as  far  as  any  other  woman  is  concerned,  and 
thus  must  throw  myself  entirely  on  your  mercy. 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     285 

Shall  we  try  the  Heights  of  Friendship  together  un- 
der these  conditions?  I  know  that  we  would  find 
much  pleasure  there  —  self -less,  impersonal,  ab- 
stract, and  free  from  the  elements  of  love  and  passion. 
iYou  keep  to  your  part  of  the  bargain,  putting  no 
temptations  before  me,  and  I'll  keep  to  mine.  Will 
you  shake  hands  upon  it  ?  " 

She  continued  to  look  thoughtfully  at  the  map, 
while  his  extended  fingers  almost  touched  her  own. 
From  the  map  she  raised  clear  eyes  to  his  face,  turned 
them  down  to  the  rough  sketch  again,  and  again  up- 
ward to  meet  his  earnest  gaze.  And  then,  slowly, 
seriously,  she  shook  her  head,  and  drew  her  hand 
away. 

Immediately  a  new  something  leaped  into  his  eyes. 
"  Why  not  ?  "  he  demanded. 

"  I  am  —  afraid,"  she  answered. 

"Afraid  of  what?" 

"  That  one  of  the  no-trespassing  signs  might  fall 
down." 

"  And  you  dread  the  possibility  of  straying  from 
the  path?" 

"  I  wouldn't  stray,"  she  answered  firmly.  "  But 
you  might.  And  I  would  not  needlessly  cause  you 
pain." 

"Why,  needlessly?" 

"  Because  I  could  not  go  down  the  path  with  you. 
Mr.  Fort,  your  frankness  and  honesty  bid  me  be 
frank  with  you.  Many  boys  have  pretended  that  they 


286     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

loved  me.  They  sobered  for  a  little,  when  they  could 
not  move  me,  and  then  turned  to  other  girls  for  con- 
solation. One  man  has  sworn  that  he  loved  me,  and 
after  all,  his  heart  proved  fickle.  But  you  seem  dif- 
ferent from  him,  or  those  others  I  have  known.  I 
do  not  wish  to  appear  vain  or  self -conceited,  but  my 
experience  has  taught  me  that  it  is  better  to  be  care- 
ful. We'll  tear  up  your  ridiculous  map,  with  its 
signs  calling  attention  to  forbidden  paths.  We'll 
make  no  compact  with  each  other.  Accept  me  as  I 
am,  and  I'll  accept  you  in  the  same  spirit.  And  I'll 
not  be  held  responsible  if  you  —  fall  in  love  —  with 
me." 

"  Wouldn't  you  even  be  —  sorry  ?  " 

"  Yes,  very  sorry.  From  what  I  have  seen  of  you 
I  do  not  believe  you  would  recover  lightly,  like  the 
rest.  I  could  not  fall  in  love  with  you,  so  I  shall 
hope  for  the  time  when  you  can  come  to  me  and  tell 
me  of  some  lovely  girl  who  has  your  heart  and  will 
become  your  wife.  Then  I  will  shake  hands  gladly, 
and  promise  to  be  your  friend  and  hers.  And  the 
road  we  will  travel  together  will  have  no  branching 
paths  to  cause  trouble  —  but  will  be  straight  and  un- 
deviating. 

"  What  a  long  time  we  have  talked,"  she  cried,  with 
a  sudden  change  of  manner.  "  I  must  go  tell  Janey 
that  you  want  your  egg  and  milk,  and  then  I  must  see 
Minnie  for  a  moment.  Please  don't  misunderstand 
what  I  have  said,  Mr.  Fort." 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     287 

"  I  will  not.  Instead  I  thank  you  for  it,  from  the 
bottom  of  my  heart.  There  comes  your  father." 

"  Good !  "  cried  Rose.  "  He  can  talk  to  you  and  so 
I  won't  feel  like  a  deserter." 

She  tripped  hurriedly  across  the  grass,  while 
Homer  watched  her  with  something  more  than  mere 
friendly  admiration  in  his  eyes.  He  missed  no 
slightest  movement  of  her  lithe  young  body,  and  when 
she  waved  her  hand  to  her  father  and  called  a  greet- 
ing, he  drew  in  his  breath  sharply.  Uncle  Jack  led 
the  mare  away  and  Gabe  came  over  to  occupy  the 
bench. 

"  I've  been  giving  a  few  orders  about  to-morrow's 
edition,"  he  said.  "  Newspaper  offices  have  to  work 
Sundays,  Mr.  Fort,  to  please  the  good  Christians  who 
like  to  get  the  latest  news  on  Monday  morning." 

"  Captain,  you  have  a  lovely  daughter,"  said 
Homer  slowly,  turning  his  eyes  toward  Gabe,  now 
that  Rose  had  disappeared  from  view. 

"  So  a  good  many  have  told  me,"  answered  Gabe 
satirically. 

"  I  am  head  over  heels  in  love  with  her  already." 

"  A  good  many  have  told  me  that,  too." 

"I  am  different  from  those  others,"  protested 
Homer. 

"  So  each  of  them  has  informed  me.  However,  I 
have  a  different  answer  for  you.  I  have  always  said, 
'Rose  is  old  enough  to  choose  for  herself.  Go  see 
what  she  has  to  say.'  They  have  followed  my  advice, 


288     THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

and  been  sent  about  their  business.  Tom  Blanken- 
ship  had  the  nerve  not  to  approach  me  on  the  sub- 
ject. Now  to  you,  all  I've  got  to  say  is  that  I  like 
you,  Homer,  and  I'd  like  to  see  Kose  marry  you. 
But  you  haven't  the  ghost  of  a  show,  and  you  might 
as  well  save  yourself  trouble  by  knowing  it  now." 

"  You  seem  very  positive,"  demurred  Homer. 

"  I  am  positive,"  replied  Gabe  with  conviction. 
"  Rose  was  very  much  in  love  with  Tom,  as  I  told  you 
once  before.  She  has  suffered  more  than  I  like  to 
think  about.  The  suffering  did  not  hurt  her  except 
in  one  particular.  It  made  her  lose  her  faith  in  men. 
She  measures  them  all  by  Tom  now,  and  she  hasn't  a 
bit  of  use  for  any  one  of  them.  She  has  decided  to 
be  an  old  maid,  and  she  is  a  good,  steady,  hard-to- 
change  decider.  She  excepts  me  from  the  general  lot 
because  I  am  her  father,"  he  continued  whimsically. 
"  She  regards  me  as  a  person  set  apart.  But  she  has 
her  suspicions  of  everybody  else,  and  I  don't  see  how 
you  or  any  other  mere  man  could  combat  them." 

"  All  the  same  I  intend  to  try,"  returned  Homer 
quietly.  "  I  have  offered  her  friendship,  which  she 
refused." 

"  That's  odd.  I  had  thought  her  willing  enough 
to  be  friends  with  men.  The  only  trouble  is  that 
they  won't  stay  friends  with  her." 

He  mused  for  a  space,  and  then,  as  Janey  came  up 
with  a  brimming  yellow  glassful  on  a  tray,  he  roused 
and  turned  to  Homer  with  a  smile.  "  I  like  your 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     289 

self-confidence,"  he  said.  "But  it  hasn't  a  chance 
against  her  prejudice." 

"  We'll  see  about  that,"  answered  Homer,  taking 
the  glass,  with  a  nod  of  thanks  to  Janey.  "  We'll 
see  about  that,  later." 

His  attitude  puzzled  Gabe.  He  would  have  been 
still  more  puzzled  had  he  known  what  was  passing 
in  Homer's  mind.  For  the  young  man  regarded  it  as 
a  distinct  advance  that  Rose  had  torn  up  his  map. 

"She  is  afraid  of  me,"  he  thought.  "If  she 
wasn't,  she  would  have  shaken  hands  upon  the  bar- 
gain I  proposed.  And  she  is  not  quite  sure  of  her- 
self, or  she'd  have  done  it  anyway.  She  fenced  well, 
but  not  well  enough  to  deceive  me.  A  little  jealous 
for  Mrs.  Shelley,  a  little  afraid  of  me  and  of  her- 
self—  take  courage,  Homer.  If  you  can  once 
bring  her  to  a  standstill  before  one  of  those  no-tres- 
passing signs  that  she  objected  to,  you  may  coax  her 
to  take  a  peep  into  the  path  beyond.  And  then,  if 
you  are  cautious  and  very,  very  patient,  she  may 
step  in  a  little  way,  and  so  be  lost.  At  any  rate  the 
thing  is  worth  a  trial,  and  I  am  going  to  try." 


CHAPTER  XX 

SEPTEMBER  passed,  and  October  tinged  the 
leaves  rustily   in   Salem.     While  the   vivid 
beauty  of  the  northern  autumn  coloring  was 
lacking  in  this  southern  State,  the  soft  balminess  of 
the  air,  and  the  clear  skies  and  tempered  sunshine, 
more  than  made  up  for  the  bright  reds  and  yellows 
which  meant  a  speedier  waning. 

The  summer  just  gone  by  had  witnessed  two  kinds 
of  harvesting.  The  gathering  of  crops  was  one, 
which  turned  all  men  to  saving  for  the  winter,  to  the 
elimination  of  waste,  and  the  husbanding  of  every 
resource.  The  harvest  which  Death  gathered  in  the 
tropics  was  another,  which  taught  them  brutally  to 
cast  away  what  their  womenfolk  had  labored  to  bring 
into  being,  and  that  the  sacrifice  of  stalwart  man- 
hood was  glorious  and  right  and  fitting.  The  harv- 
ester called  Peace  garnered  for  the  ultimate  good  of 
all  humanity.  Her  breast  was  firm  and  full,  her 
rounded  arms  heaped  blessings  on  mankind.  Yet 
through  all  her  busy  season  of  growth,  war  had  been 
harvester  as  well,  reaping  the  bitterness  of  men's 
deeds,  and  getting  ready  the  ground  for  further  sow- 
ing of  the  seeds  of  contention  and  strife.  What 
290 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     291 

greater  contrast  could  there  be  than  lay  between  these 
two  extremes  ? 

The  weather  was  still  warm  enough  for  the  out-of- 
door  life  in  which  the  Southern  folk  love  to  indulge. 
At  the  Shelley  homestead,  on  a  morning  early  in 
October,  the  entire  family  deserted  the  house  for  the 
green  lawn  and  the  still  welcome  shade  of  the  trees. 
The  grass  was  sprinkled  with  fallen  leaves,  which 
Uncle  Jack  raked  into  piles  and  then  carried  off  in 
barrow-loads  to  heap  about  the  peach-tree  roots. 
"  They  like  to  be  nice  and  warm  in  winter,"  Gabe  ex- 
plained. "  So  I  cover  them  with  Nature's  own 
blanket." 

Minnie  and  her  mother  had  long  since  gone  to  the 
hills,  where  their  old  home  had  been  put  into  good 
condition  with  part  of  the  money  Gabe  paid  them  for 
their  land.  Rose  had  been  out  to  see  them,  and  had 
spoken  to  Minnie  with  pity  of  the  condition  of  Tom 
Blankenship,  still  half-invalided,  and  alone  in  his  big 
house. 

"I  am  tempted  to  go  to  him,"  she  said.  "He 
must  be  Brooding  and  it  can't  be  good  for  him." 

"  Do  you  think  he  has  suffered  any  more  than  I  ?  " 
was  Minnie's  unexpected  answer.  "  Let  him  alone, 
and  he  will  reach  a  definite  decision  all  the  sooner." 

The  two  girls  had  wandered  through  the  grounds 
of  Gabe's  hotel,  and  through  the  hotel  itself,  which 
was  now  complete. 

"What  do  you  think  my  father  will  do  with 


292     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

this  ?  "  Rose  asked.  "  Is  it  an  old  ladies'  home,  or  a 
sanatorium,  or  what  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know,"  answered  Minnie.  "  He  has 
asked  my  mother  to  be  housekeeper,  but  he  threatens 
to  lock  the  gates  on  me,  until  he  is  ready  to  unfold  his 
plans  to  the  rest  of  you.  I  have  begged  him  not  to  do 
that,  and  have  promised  faithfully  to  keep  away  as 
soon  as  he  gives  me  the  word." 

This  word  had  been  given  over  two  weeks  ago. 
Mrs.  Gray  went  to  the  "  hotel "  mornings,  and  re- 
turned to  her  own  home  at  night.  Minnie  remained 
outside,  according  to  her  promise. 

"  How  much  longer  are  we  to  wait  ?  "  Eose  teased 
Gabe,  seated  beside  him  on  the  big  settee,  with  a  lap 
full  of  gorgeous  dahlias  and  chrysanthemums,  which 
she  was  fashioning  into  bouquets  for  the  veranda. 

"  Perhaps  next  week,  perhaps  this  afternoon,"  he 
answered  with  a  smile.  "  Things  are  almost  ready 
out  there  now,  and  I  promised  you  should  be  the  first 
to  see  what  I  have  done." 

"  Mrs.  Gray  sees,"  Eose  pouted. 

"  Ah,  but  I  have  to  have  some  people  working  to 
get  ready  for  you." 

"  Madge  knows.  She  hasn't  said  so,  but  I  guessed 
it.  It  is  mean  for  you  to  leave  me  out,  and  tell  her 
all  your  secrets." 

"  Not  a  bit  of  it.  She  put  in  her  fifty  thousand 
dollars,  and  besides  she  was  the  one  to  give  me  the 
idea  in  the  first  place,"  declared  Gabe  stoutly. 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     293 

"  Now  it  isn't  a  bit  of  use,  your  teasing  me  like  this. 
I'm  not  going  to  give  myself  away.  I've  done  this 
thing  partly  for  you,  and  I  shall  spring  it  on  you 
properly.  Don't  grudge  this  surprise  to  your  old 
daddy,  little  girl." 

His  answer  was  all  he  had  expected  it  to  be,  quick 
penitence,  a  hearty  hug  and  kiss,  and  a  promise  to  be 
good  and  bide  his  time. 

Homer  Fort,  now  strong  and  considerably  stouter, 
and  also  possessing  another  good  crop  of  freckles, 
came  over  from  the  steps,  where  he  and  Madge  had 
been  busy  reading  the  morning  papers. 

"  I  heard  that  last  speech  of  yx>urs,  Captain,"  he 
remarked.  "I  wish  you'd  hurry  up.  I've  almost 
outstayed  my  welcome  here,  I'm  afraid,  and  it  is  time 
I  was  getting  back  to  Chicago." 

"Your  welcome  has  been  drawing  compound  in- 
terest," returned  Gabe  heartily.  "  Now  see  here, 
Homer.  After  I  took  the  trouble  to  write  to  your 
firm  and  describe  your  condition  so  eloquently  as  to 
get  you  this  extension  of  your  vacation,  don't  you 
think  I  ought  to  have  the  say-so  as  to  how  you  spend 
your  time  ?  It  won't  be  up  until  the  fifteenth  of  the 
month,  and  until  then  your  days  belong  to  me. 
I  am  certainly  delighted  with  your  appearance 
now." 

"  When  I  get  back  they  will  think  I  have  been  play- 
ing off,"  laughed  Homer  ruefully.  "  I  have  gained 
thirty  pounds  and  I  haven't  an  ache  nor  a  pain  in  me 


294     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

anywhere.  I  believe  I  could  throw  you  in  a  tussle, 
Captain." 

"  I'd  like  to  see  you  try  it,"  roared  the  Captain,  to 
Fort's  surprise.  But  then  the  Captain  was  always 
surprising  people.  He  was  proud  of  his  strength  and 
would  brook  no  belittling  of  it.  In  a  twinkling  his 
coat  was  off  and  he  was  facing  the  young  man,  who, 
at  a  slight  nod  of  encouragement  from  Eose,  promptly 
followed  suit. 

The  two  regarded  each  other  warily  for  a  moment, 
and  then  clinched.  Homer  was  no  match  for  Gabe, 
and  before  he  realized  what  had  happened,  he  lay 
flat  upon  his  back  on  the  grass. 

"  Why,  you  haven't  the  grip  of  a  baby,"  chuckled 
Gabe,  as  he  helped  the  crestfallen  young  fellow  to  his 
feet.  "  Practice  up,  man,  practice  up.  But  I  allow 
you  couldn't  throw  me,  however  much  you  tried,  for 
I've  stood  up  against  practically  every  man  in  Bucks 
County." 

"  You  are  pretty  spry,"  admitted  Homer. 

"  And  so  were  you,"  cried  Eose.  "  All  the  same, 
you  couldn't  trip  my  father." 

The  pride  in  her  tones  made  Homer  glad  that  he 
had  been  beaten.  He  sat  down  beside  her,  still 
breathing  hurriedly,  while  Gabe  drew  up  chairs  for 
himself  and  Madge. 

"Uncle  Jack,"  called  Madge. 

"  Yas'm,  yas'm,"  answered  the  negro,  hurrying  for- 
ward. 


THE   SHELLEY S   OF   GEORGIA     295 

"  Bring  our  lunch  out  here  and  we'll  picnic.  And 
call  up  my  father  and  ask  him  if  he  can  join  us." 

"  M-me  call  him  up  ?  How  do  you  mean  ?  On 
dat  ar  'phome  ?  No'm,  doan't  ax  me  fer  to  do  dat.  I 
doant  lak  to  do  dat  nohow,  Miss  Madge." 

"See  here,  Jack,"  thundered  Gabe.  "You've 
begged  off  long  enough.  You'll  have  to  learn  to  use 
the  telephone,  so  you  might  as  well  begin  right  now, 
when  all  of  us  are  here  to  prevent  it's  hurting  you. 
Get  a  move  on !  Off  with  you !  " 

"  A-a-a'right,  boss,"  stammered  Jack.  "D-d'you 
reckon  I  kin  use  dat  'phome  widout  no  trouble,  same 
as  white  folks,  huh  ?  " 

"Of  course,"  laughed  Gabe.     "Why  not?" 

Jack  shook  his  head  dubiously.  "  White  folkses' 
contraptions  ain't  got  much  use  fer  niggers,"  he. 
muttered  as  he  shambled  across  the  grass. 

"  I've  never  been  able  to  get  him  to  send  a  mes- 
sage before,"  whispered  Gabe  to  Fort.  "He  has 
such  respect  for  a  Yankee  that  he  is  ashamed  to  back 
out  before  you." 

They  watched  with  interested  eyes  while  Jack 
went  slowly  up  on  the  porch,  his  feet  lagging  more 
at  every  step.  When  he  reached  the  table  he  hesi- 
tated perceptibly,  nerving  himself  to  touch  the  in- 
strument. At  last  his  trembling  fingers  snatched  the 
receiver  from  the  hook,  and  he  spoke  into  the  mouth- 
piece. 

"  S-scuse  me,  Miss  Thome,"  he  said  aloud.     "  But 


296     THE   SHELLEYS   OF.   GEORGIA 

I  wants  to  speak  to  Jedge  Oglethorpe,  thank  you 
kin'ly.  W-what's  dat  ?  Numbuh  ?  De  Jedge  ain't 
no  jailbird,  to  be  spoke  at  by  a  numbuh,  miss. 
Yas'm.  I  has  heard  de  boss  gib  numbuhs,  but  I 
doant  reckon  dey  wuz  aimed  at  no  pusson  lak  de 
Jedge." 

R*>se  was  about  to  call  the  number  of  the  Judge's 
telephone  when  Gabe  restrained  her.  "  Sh-h !  Wait 
a  bit,"  he  cautioned. 

"  Infohmation  ?  What  f oh  does  I  want  inf ohma- 
tion?  I  ain't  axin'  foh  no  infohmation  —  jes'  de 
Jedge.  He  ain't  no  infohmation.  Yaas,  dat's  whut 
I  done  said.  I  wants  Jedge  Oglethorpe.  What's 
dat  ?  West  235  ?  Mus'  I  say  dat  to  de  op-ratuh  ? 
Suah  enuff,  now?  Aw,  g'long  wid  you  —  you'se  a 
foolin'  dis  oP  nigger.  Hoi'  on  a  minute. —  Say,  boss, 
dis  'phome  do  switch  aroun'  somethin'  scan'lous.  I'se 
kinder  skeert  to  hyah  fust  one  voice  an'  den  anudder, 
comin'  right  outen  de  same  instrument,  lak  it  wuz 
folks. — Hullo?  Who  am  dat?  Jedge  Oglethorpe? 
Please  to  see  you,  suh.  You're  lookin'  tolluble  dis 
mawnin'.  Kin  you-all  come  ovuh  to  de  Captain's 
foh  lunch,  suh?  Ya-as  suh.  Yas  suh.  Good- 
mawnin',  suh.  Good  — " 

The  Judge  evidently  shut  off  and  though  Jack  lis- 
tened for  a  moment  longer  no  sounds  came  to  his  ears. 
"  I  reckon  de  spring  is  run  down,  suh,"  he  said,  turn- 
ing to  Gabe.  "  Does  I  win'  it  up  f  om  dis  en'  ?  " 

"  Ko.     The  Judge  is  all  through  — " 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     297 

But  Jack  was  listening  to  the  telephone  again. 
"  Gawd  a'mighty,"  he  screamed.  "  Dis  thing  am 
a-axin'  me  to  hang  up.  Hit  suah  am  somethin'  scan'- 
lous,  how  it  talk  lak  it  got  brains.  Law-cfy !  Hit 
keeps  on  a-talkin',  an'  it's  a-gittin'  mad !  Reckon  I 
better  put  it  down  ?  Aw,  now,"  he  soothed  in  wheed- 
ling tones,  venturing  to  stroke  the  mouthpiece  with 
one  black  hand.  "  Doan't  you  go  to  gittin'  riled, 
honey,  doan't  you  go  to  gittin'  riled.  Soon's  you  shet 
up,  I'll  shet  up.  Dar,  now." 

With  a  sigh  of  immeasurable  relief,  Jack  put  the 
receiver  back  upon  its  hook.  "  He  say  he  come,  an' 
I  done  use  de  'phome  all  right.  Dis  am  a  proud  day 
foh  dis  ol'  nigger." 

"  Jack,"  commanded  Gabe.  "  Come  over  here  and 
explain  the  doctrine  of  original  sin  to  Mr.  Fort.  He 
is  a  little  mixed  on  the  subject,  and  I  know  you  can 
set  him  straight." 

"'Course  I  kin,"  said  Jack  proudly,  willing  to 
tackle  anything  so  simple  as  religion,  after  he  had 
just  come  safely  through  the  ticklish  process  of  hand- 
ling the  telephone.  "  You  see,  it's  disaway,  suh. 
When  de  Lawd  Gawd  put  Adam  in  de  gyarden,  you 
mought  a-thought  dat  man  would  a-been  satisfied  now, 
moughtn't  you,  suh?  Naw,  indeedy!  He  say  to 
Gawd,  i  Has  I  gotter  lib  hyah  all  my  life  widout  no 
comp'ny  but  you  an'  de  sarpint,  Lawd  ? '  Gawd,  he 
'low  dat  wuz  what  he  had  intended  to  do,  an'  he 
'pollygize  to  Adam.  He  say  to  Adam,  '  Go  to  sleep, 


298     THE   SHELLEY S   OF.   GEORGIA 

an'  bime-by  you'll  hab  comp'ny.'  So  Adam,  he  go  to 
sleep,  an'  Gawd  took  outen  a  rib  an'  say  some  words, 
an'  it  tu'n  right  smack  into  a  lady.  Ya-as  suh! 
When  Adam  woke,  he  wuz  right  please'.  He  say, 
1  Thank  you,  Gawd,'  an'  he  set  out  to  play  wid  de 
lady.  But  right  dere  is  where  he  met  his  come-up- 
pance.  She  say  to  Adam,  '  You-all  is  done  make  a 
mistake,  suh.  De  las'  shall  be  fust,  is  Gawd's  own 
words,  written  in  de  !New  Testamen'.  I  may  get 
hyah  late,  but  I'se  right  on  de  job.  You  wuz  meant 
to  serve  me,  an'  now  git  busy  an'  bring  me  a  apple. 
I'se  hongry.'  Adam,  he  'low  Gawd  done  ferbid 
apples.  Eve  say  she  want  one,  an'  dat's  enuff.  So 
Adam  fotch  huh  one,  an'  she  eat,  an'  he  eat,  an'  so 
dey  gits  sont  out  ob  de  gyarden.  Dat  wuz  de  'riginal 
sin,  suh,  what  Gawd  ain't  nebbuh  done  fergib,  untwell 
Chris'  die  on  de  cross.  Eben  dat  wasn't  quite  enuff 
f oh  Gawd,  so  we  all  has  to  be  bo'n  agin  bef o'  we  kin 
be  save'." 

"  That  is  a  very  clear  explanation,"  said  Fort  seri- 
ously. He  felt  genuine  respect  for  the  fervor  of  old 
Jack,  and  went  up  another  step  in  the  estimation  of 
his  friends  because  he  did  not  joke  nor  laugh.  "  Do 
you  think  you  ought  to  put  quite  so  much  blame  on 
Eve?" 

"  Wai,  bein'  in  de  presence  ob  ladies,  I  doan't  know 
ezzackly  how  to  'spress  myse'f,"  hesitated  Jack. 
"  But  it  suah  am  de  truth  dat  Gawd  made  a  mistake 
in  makin'  Eve  aftuh  Adam.  Bein'  de  las'  one  fin- 


THE   SHELLEY S   OF   GEORGIA     299 

ished  up,  'course  he  put  in  some  extry  improvements. 
When  I  hyah  folks  a-talkin'  nowadays  about  women 
gittin'  eddicated  lak  Miss  Rose,  an'  women's  rights, 
an'  women  votin',  an'  all  sich,  I  jes'  shakes  dis  ol' 
woolly  haid,  an'  I  says, '  Dey's  still  atter  dat  ar  apple, 
an'  de  menf  oiks  mought  as  well  gib  in.  Dey's  gwine 
to  git  it  anyhow,  an'  pore  old  Adam  hatter  do  de 
climbin'  foh  'em,  jes'  de  same.'  Fas'  as  dey  finishes 
up  wid  one  apple,  dey  wants  anudder.  De  on'y  ad- 
vantage I  kin  see  in  ebery  one  ob  deir  deman's  is,  dat 
dey  allus  is  williri  foh  de  menfolks  to  hob  a  bite. 
Now  if  Adam  had  a-been  made  af tuh  Eve,  suh,  an'  he 
had  wanted  a  apple  lak  she  want  it,  an'  Tie  had  made 
Eve  git  it  foh  him,  suh, —  why  Adam  would  'a'  set 
right  down  an'  eat  it  all  up  his-se'f.  Ta-as  suh! 

"  Dar  am  de  Jedge  a-comin'  yondah.  Thank  you 
kin'ly  foh  listenin'  to  dis  ol'  nigger,  suh.  May  you- 
all  come  to  see  de  truth  ob  de  doctern  ob  'riginal  sin, 
an'  all  othuh  docterns,  suh." 

He  hurried  off  to  open  the  gate,  and  to  hold  the 
Judge's  horse  while  he  alighted.  Although  a  stout 
and  elderly  man,  the  Judge  liked  to  ride  horseback, 
and  still  indulged  himself  in  the  habit,  though  he  was 
forced  to  groan  audibly  as  he  eased  himself  down 
from  the  saddle. 

"  God  bless  my  soul ! "  he  sputtered,  rubbing  an 
aching  knee.  "  The  rheumatism  got  in  some  pretty 
licks  on  me  this  morning,  while  I  was  in  bed  asleep. 
I  woke  feeling  like  a  hen  that  has  set  three  weeks 


300     THE   SHELLEY S   OF   GEORGIA 

on  stones  instead  of  eggs.  How  are  you,  Gabe? 
Rose,  you  are  lovelier  than  ever  ?  Mr.  Fort,  I'm  glad 
to  see  you  looking  so  hearty  —  Gabe  knows  how  to 
stuff  waffles  and  fried  chicken  down  your  throat  — 
and  mint  juleps,  too,  eh?  Got  any  of  those  last 
about,  Gabe?  I'm  thirsty  as  usual.  Madge,  give 
us  a  kiss  and  a  hug.  How  is  everybody,  anyway  ?  " 

They  all  acknowledged  his  greetings,  and  he  took 
a  chair  among  them.  "  Well,  Gabe,"  he  said. 
"  Tom  Blankenship  thinks  he  can  manage  his  own 
affairs  now.  I  went  in  to  see  him  this  morning.  So 
if  you'll  come  down  to  the  courthouse  to-morrow,  we'll 
relieve  you  of  this  guardianship  business." 

"How  is  Tom?"  Gabe  inquired. 

The  Judge  shook  his  head  dubiously.  "  Such  a 
change  in  any  man  I  never  saw,"  he  declared 
solemnly.  "Do  you  remember  how  Tom  used  to  strut 
about  like  a  fighting  cock  ?  I  tell  you  I'd  give  a  good 
deal  to  see  a  little  bit  of  that  old  time  self-conceit  in 
him  now.  He  is  so  moody,  downcast,  and  so  lacking 
in  energy  and  life,  that  it  almost  breaks  my  heart  to 
talk  to  him.  No  more  political  quarrels,  I  am  afraid, 
Gabe.  And  they  were  the  richest  things  in  the  news- 
papers, too." 

"  I  reckon  Tom  has  gone  through  a  whole  lot,"  said 
Gabe.  "  He'U  come  out  all  right" 

"I  don't  know,"  answered  the  Judge  thought- 
fully. "I  —  don't  —  know.  He  looks  to  me  as 
though  he  hasn't  got  enough  nerve  left  to  raise  an 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF    GEORGIA     301 

umbrella  when  it  rains.  If  I  hit  him  in  the  face, 
he'd  not  resent  it.  He'd  just  turn  the  other  cheek 
and  invite  me  to  help  myself.  No  spirit  left  —  God 
bless  my  soul !  Whatever  will  Salem  do  without  its 
bold  reckless  devil-may-care  Tom  Blankenship  ? 
Who  will  furnish  us  our  thrills,  supply  us  with  food 
for  gossip,  make  our  heads  shake  over  his  misde- 
meanors, and  all  the  time  command  our  heartiest  lik- 
ing? It  was  a  sad  day  for  this  town  when  Tom 
joined  the  army,"  mourned  the  Judge,  shaking  his 
old  head.  "  It  was  a  sad,  sad  day  for  Salem." 

"  Captain  Gabe  seems  able  to  furnish  some  excite- 
ment," interposed  Homer  with  a  smile. 

"  Of  a  good  kind,"  objected  the  Judge.  "  It  is  all 
very  well  as  far  as  it  goes,  but  the  virtuous  old  ladies, 
bless  their  hearts,  will  never  be  happy  unless  some 
scapegrace  is  hashing  up  the  other  kind  for  their 
benefit.  It's  the  same  with  us  old  men,  and  with  the 
young  folks,  too,  for  that  matter.  We  hold  up  our 
hands  and  gasp.  '  How  awful ! '  And  then  we 
stand  breathless,  watching  to  see  him  do  it  again.  It 
helps  us  to  be  moral,  Mr.  Fort,  to  contemplate  the 
immoralities  of  others.  The  church  folk  could  never 
be  so  saintly  without  the  sinners  to  look  down  upon. 
Heaven  wouldn't  be  worth  shucks,  if  it  wasn't  for 
hell.  We  measure  our  future  bliss  in  one  by  the 
future  pain  in  the  other.  Take  away  hell,  as  you 
modern  thinkers  are  doing,  and  heaven  won't  be  left 
a  leg  to  stand  on.  Brotherly  love  will  take  the  place 


302     THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

of  orthodoxy.  Saints  will  consort  with  sinners,  in- 
stead of  laboring  with  their  souls.  Then  where  will 
the  churches  be  ?  Instead  of  Sunday  places  of  wor- 
ship they  will  degenerate  into  week-day  club-houses, 
with  libraries,  swimming-pools,  gymnasiums,  theaters 
and  dance-halls.  God  bless  my  soul !  It's  enough  to 
make  the  Almighty  hasten  Judgment  Day.  He'd 
better  hurry  up,  anyhow,  before  the  new-fangled  ideas 
have  done  away  with  it  entirely.  The  line  between 
the  righteous  and  the  unrighteous  will  be  wiped  out, 
and  then  what  will  become  of  us  ?  Every  last  one  of 
us  will  turn  into  Democrats,  and  this  great  republican 
nation  will  go  to  smash." 

How  much  of  this  was  irony,  and  how  much  was 
due  to  the  Judge's  sorrow  at  the  passing  of  an  old 
day,  Homer  was  unable  to  tell.  As  Rose  and  Madge 
and  Gabe  laughed,  he  joined  in,  too,  and  then  per- 
ceived that  the  Judge's  half -querulous  complaints  had 
been  made  with  this  end  in  view.  He  laughed  him- 
self, patted  Madge  on  the  back,  shook  hands  with 
Gabe,  beamed  at  Rose  and  Homer,  and  asked  for  the 
latest  news. 

Meanwhile  Uncle  Jack  and  Janey  had  set  the  table 
in  the  garden,  and  the  family  now  drew  up  their 
chairs  to  partake  of  a  bounteous  meal,  which  Gabe 
called,  and  evidently  considered,  a  light  lunch. 

"No  wonder  yon  grow  fat  fast,  Homer,"  com- 
mented the  Judge  with  his  mouth  full.  "  How  Rose 
and  Madge  keep  their  figures  is  beyond  me." 


THE   SHELLEY S    OF    GEORGIA     303 

"We  control  our  appetites,  Father,"  laughed 
Madge,  and  then  she  jumped,  as  a  small  and  respect- 
ful cough  sounded  just  behind  her  back. 

"  Who's  there  ?  "  she  exclaimed,  and  turning,  faced 
a  slender  sunburnt  boy,  who  stood  first  on  one  bare 
foot  and  then  the  other,  in  an  agony  of  embarrass- 
ment. 

"  Why,  hello,  Jimmy,"  she  said.  "  What  do  you 
want  ? " 

Jimmy  swallowed,  made  a  desperate  attempt  to 
speak,  then  turned  and  ignominiously  fled. 

"  Aw !  Whatcher  scairt  about  ?  "  came  in  shrill 
staccatos  from  the  other  side  of  the  fence,  where  the 
grown  folks  perceived  a  group  of  white  boys  from  the 
poorer  quarter  of  the  busy  town. 

"That's  what  I  want  to  know,"  roared  Gabe. 
"  Jimmy  Brown,  come  back  here  and  tell  me  what  you 
boys  have  come  for,  or  I'll  lick  the  stuffings  out  of 
you." 

This  threat  had  the.  desired  effect.  Jimmy  paused, 
and  jeered  on  by  his  comrades  outside,  slowly  re- 
traced his  steps. 

"  Here !  Have  a  piece  of  cake,"  invited  Madge. 
"  And  a  glass  of  iced  tea.  Shall  I  put  sugar  in  it  ? " 

"  Madge !  "  exclaimed  Judge  Oglethorpe  in  mock 
horror.  "  The  idea  of  asking  a  boy  if  he  will  have 
sugar  in  his  tea !  What  you  should  ask  him  is  will 
he  have  iced  tea  in  his  sugar." 

Madge  took  the  hint  and  liberally  sweetened  the 


304     THE   SHELLEY S   OF   GEORGIA 

tall,  frosty  glassful.  The  sight  of  Jimmy  cramming 
tea  and  cake  was  too  much  for  the  boys  outside,  and 
they  promptly  advanced  in  a  body,  to  support  their 
leader  who  had  been  basely  left  to  go  through  the 
ordeal  alone. 

"  Now  see  what  you've  done,"  sighed  the  Judge. 
"  I'll  give  up  my  share  of  cake  —  it  ain't  good  for  my 
rheumatism,  but,  God  bless  my  soul,  I  won't  give  up 
my  tea." 

"There  are  plenty  of  both,  Father,"  laughed 
Madge,  with  a  nod  to  Uncle  Jack,  who  disappeared 
kitchenwards.  "  Did  you  forget  that  I  am  the  wife 
of  a  man  famed  for  his  hospitality?  I  don't  ever 
make  a  cake  —  I  make  calces.  Come  on,  boys,  we'll 
have  an  impromptu  picnic.  Jimmy,  you  wait  for  the 
rest.  Maybe  you'd  like  some  bread  as  well.  Here 
is  a  plateful  to  begin  on.  Janey,  get  a  whole  lot 
more,  and  bring  out  that  ham  I  ordered  boiled  yes- 
terday. Send  one  of  the  boys  down  to  the  spring- 
house  for  more  butter,  and  have  Uncle  Jack  bring 
out  the  whole  water-cooler." 

At  these  commands  the  last  shyness  on  the  part  of 
the  youngsters  disappeared.  With  whoops  of  de- 
light they  swarmed  about  the  table,  their  mission 
quite  forgotten.  Ten  minutes  later  they  were  busy 
stowing  away  eatables  as  fast  as  Madge,  Eose,  and 
the  servants,  could  get  them  ready. 

"Now,  Jimmy,"  said  Gabe  when  momentary  re- 


THE   SHELLEY S    OF    GEORGIA     305 

pletion  brought  a  lull  in  the  hubbub.  "What  did 
you  want  me  for  ? " 

"  Our  new  baseball  team,  Cap'n  Gabe,"  said  the 
boy  eagerly. 

"  You  don't  want  me  to  join,  do  you  ?  "  asked  Gabe 
with  a  comical  look  of  dismay. 

"  Naw.  But  we  need  some  bats  and  balls,  and  we 
want  a  place  of  our  own  to  play  in,  where  the  bigger 
boys  won't  be  allowed  to  maul  us.  And  we  want  to 
mark  out  our  field  with  lime,  like  the  big  boys  do, 
and  have  a  flag,  and  uniforms,  and  a  catcher's  mask, 
and  mitt,  and  lots  of  things." 

"Well!  Why  don't  you  get  'em?"  Gabe  was 
mildly  inquiring. 

"  'Cause  we  'ain't  —  we  'ain't  got  no  money." 

"  How  do  you  usually  get  money  ?  " 

"  Sometimes  we  do  odd  jobs,  and  sometimes  our 
folks  gives  us  pennies.  But  we  thought,  bein'  as  how 
this  is  a  regular  nine  we  are  forming,  maybe  you'd 
give  us  a  donation  of  five  dollars,"  stated  Jimmy 
modestly.  "  If  you  could  make  it  ten,  we  could  put 
up  a  bench  so  as  you  could  watch  us  play." 

"  God  bless  my  soul,"  snorted  Judge  Oglethorpe. 
"I'm  glad  I  haven't  the  name  of  being  a  philan- 
thropist. Why  don't  you  ask  me  to  help  on  this 
thing,  Jimmy  ? " 

Jimmy  looked  doubtful.  "  My  maw  says  as  how 
you  don't  never  put  but  fifty  cents  in  the  missionary 


306     THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

box,"  he  blurted  out  at  last.  "  And  the  f urreign 
kids  git  so  much  more  attention  than  us  Salem  kids 
do,  that  we  thought  if  that  was  all  you'd  give  to  them, 
you  wasn't  likely  to  give  nothin'  to  us." 

"  Hear,  hear ! "  sputtered  the  Judge,  much 
amused.  "  Jimmy,  my  boy,  I  don't  happen  to  be 
enthused  about  foreign  missions.  If  I  can  spare  fifty 
cents  for  the  heathen,  I  reckon  I  can  give  you  young- 
sters a  dollar.  Now  tackle  Mr.  Fort  over  there,  and 
see  what  he  has  to  say." 

Homer  searched  his  pockets.  As  the  Judge  tossed 
four  quarters  into  the  group  of  boys,  he  followed  with 
a  handful  of  small  change,  and  there  was  a  wild,  en- 
thusiastic scramble.  When  the  noise  had  subsided, 
Gabe  looked  into  Jimmy's  expectant  eyes,  and  said 
slowly,  "  You  see  the  Judge  is  more  of  a  philan- 
thropist than  I  am,  if  that  word  means  the  giving 
away  of  things.  If  I  donate  anything  to  your  base- 
ball nine,  it  won't  be  money,  but  something  you  can 
turn  into  money.  Your  field  will  be  more  precious 
to  you  if  you  earn  it.  Now  don't  look  sorry  until  I 
have  told  you  what  I  have  in  mind.  I've  got  a  peach- 
tree  nursery  over  yonder,  where  the  trees  are  the 
right  size  for  sale.  I  expect  to  get  a  dollar  apiece 
for  every  nursling.  I'll  give  you  boys  ten  cents  on 
each  tree  you  sell  for  me  around  the  town  here.  You 
take  the  orders,  and  I'll  deliver  the  goods,  collect 
the  money,  and  turn  over  your  share  to  the  treasurer 
of  the  nine.  How  about  it  ? " 


THE   SHELLEY S    OF    GEORGIA     307 

"  We-ell,"  hesitated  Jimmy.  "  If  that's  the  best 
you  can  do,  I  reckon  we'll  just  have  to  hustle  and  see 
how  many  peach-trees  we  can  sell.  If  we  had  the 
money  now  we  could  go  ahead  with  our  grounds. 
Will  you  give  us  a  place  on  a  field  somewhere,  and 
warn  off  the  big  boys,  or  have  we  got  to  earn  that, 
too?" 

"Ill  loan  you  some  ground,"  promised  Gabe. 
"  And  I'll  see  that  you  get  protection.  Now  you  all 
get  to  work  and  sell  those  trees  for  me.  Good-by, 
boys." 

"Good-by.  Good-by,  Cap'n  Gabe.  Good-by." 
With  nods,  and  sheepish  smiles  the  boys  filed  away, 
leaving  their  elders  much  amused  as  well  as  enlight- 
ened by  the  incident. 

"  Don't  ever  tell  me  you  are  a  philanthropist  again, 
Gabe,"  said  the  Judge.  "  You're  a  regular  skinflint. 
You  know  darned  well  you'd  have  to  pay  a  man  a 
salary  and  a  commission,  to  sell  those  same  nurslings 
for  you.  You  are  getting  off  cheap,  God  bless  my 
soul!" 

"  So  I  am,"  admitted  Gabe.  "  But  then  I  aim  to 
come  across  with  some  extras  if  the  boys  make  good. 
I'll  print  'em  handbills,  and  give  their  nine  a  write- 
up,  and  get  their  uniforms  for  next  to  nothing.  But 
I  don't  believe  in  promiscuous  giving.  Every  boy  in 
town  would  be  after  me,  if  I  had  forked  out  what 
Jimmy  asked  for.  Now  they  will  all  be  selling  trees 
for  me,  which  will  suit  me  very  well.  As  for  you, 


308     THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

Judge,  and  you,  Homer,  you  look  out.  Your  charity 
will  hound  you  to  your  graves." 

"That's  so,"  sputtered  the  Judge.  "That's  so, 
Gabe.  Never  mind.  If  another  boy  comes  to  me 
for  money,  I'll  threaten  to  set  the  sheriff  on  him." 

But  other  boys  did  come,  and  the  Judge's  hand 
went  into  his  pocket  unfailingly,  just  the  same. 
Whether  he  thus  created  paupers,  while  Gabe's 
scheme  created  workers,  it  is  not  for  this  story  to  de- 
taiL  Suffice  it  to  say  that  the  peach-tree  nursery  was 
emptied  of  its  trees  by  spring,  and  the  number  of  new 
uniforms,  bats,  balls,  masks,  and  other  paraphernalia 
which  blossomed  forth  in  Salem,  quite  put  the  peach- 
trees  in  the  shade.  And  Gabe  said  whimsically,  as 
he  paid  the  last  money  over  to  the  treasurer  of  the 
nine,  "  It's  a  good  thing,  Jimmy  Brown,  that  I  lim- 
ited you  to  the  nurslings,  or  every  tree  on  my  place 
would  have  been  sold." 

"  Just  give  us  a  chance  at  the  big  trees,  Cap'n," 
answered  Jimmy  modestly.  "By  gosh,  we  could 
show  you  some  profits." 


CHAPTER  XXI 

IT  might  seem  as  though  Judge  Oglethorpe  ex- 
aggerated Tom  Blankenship's  condition,  but  on 
the  contrary  his  statement  was  mild  and  far 
short  of  the  truth.  During  the  old  man's  visit  Tom 
had  made  a  tremendous  effort  to  appear  like  his 
former  self.  How  far  this  effort  failed  we  have  al- 
ready seen,  and  yet  it  was  in  a  measure  successful, 
since  the  Judge  was  kept  from  realizing  the  true 
state  of  the  case. 

It  was  now  considerably  over  a  month  and  a  half 
since  Mrs.  Kemp's  departure.  That  month  and  a 
half  had  been  a  nightmare  of  longing  and  despair  to 
Tom.  He  alternated  between  one  tortured  mood 
and  another,  until  he  was  no  longer  capable  of  active 
suffering  and  sank  into  a  dull  apathetic  state,  into 
which  nothing  intruded  except  his  love  for  Mrs. 
Kemp,  the  acme  of  his  pain. 

At  first  he  paced  his  room  and  wrung  his  hands 
and  wept  the  bitter  scalding  tears  of  bereaved  man- 
hood. At  first,  too,  he  experienced  rare  moments  of 
ecstasy  in  which  he  again  held  her  in  his  arms  and 
pressed  his  lips  to  hers.  But  those  moments  were 
followed  by  others  so  black  that  he  learned  in  time  to 


310     THE   SHELLEY S   OF   GEORGIA 

fight  shy  of  all  such  recollections.  He  even  sought 
to  cast  her  image  from  his  heart,  hoping  to  find  relief 
in  absence  of  all  thought  and  memory,  but  this  was 
impossible.  Though  he  no  longer  dwelt  upon  her  in 
his  mind,  he  was  conscious  of  her  in  the  same  way 
that  he  was  conscious  of  himself.  This  conscious- 
ness persisted  through  the  dark  days  which  fol- 
lowed, wherein  he  forced  himself  to  be  quiescent  and 
resigned. 

However,  in  spite  of  himself,  Tom  was  a  conva- 
lescent. His  body  was  cared  for  by  Nathan,  and  his 
appetite  coaxed  by  his  housekeeper.  The  Doctor  put 
his  brain  to  sleep  sometimes,  out  of  sheer  pity  for  the 
once  splendid  physique  that  was  now  struggling  to 
return.  And  his  long  abstinence  from  dissipation, 
together  with  all  the  other  influences  which  had  been 
at  work  upon  him,  made  his  brain  tissues  healthy. 
He  needed  only  a  touch  to  wake  to  clear  thought  and 
understanding. 

This  touch  he  received  shortly  after  the  Judge's 
visit.  The  cheerfully  querulous  old  man  had  al- 
ways amused  Tom,  who  liked  him  heartily  enough  to 
make  an  effort  at  his  entertainment.  When  he  left 
Tom  felt  exceptionally  lonely.  He  looked  at  the 
paper,  decided  that  nothing  interested  him  there, 
tried  a  novel  with  no  success,  lounged  about  his  room 
aimlessly  for  a  while,  and  then  began  to  rummage  in 
his  desk. 

It  had  been  locked  ever  since  the  day  Mrs.  Kemp 


THE    SHELLEYS   OF    GEORGIA     311 

had  put  it  into  order  for  him,  and  now,  as  he  glanced 
at  its  neat  arrangement,  his  letters  all  tied  into  or- 
derly packets,  the  dull  ache  in  his  heart  throbbed  into 
active  pain.  He  took  down  one  of  the  bundles,  and 
found  it  labelled  "  Business  Correspondence."  She 
had  sorted  out  some  envelopes  with  return  addresses 
in  the  upper  corners,  and  banded  them  together.  He 
reached  for  another  packet.  "  Legal  Matters  "  was 
written  upon  this  one.  He  noted  that  the  return  ad- 
dresses were  all  those  of  attorneys.  Another  —  ah, 
these  were  upon  notepaper,  and  the  mischievous  little 
nurse  had  labelled  them  boldly,  "  Love-letters."  On 
the  reverse  side  of  the  tag,  so  fine  that  ho  could  hardly 
read  it,  he  found  a  tiny  verse  of  poetry : 

"Oh,  letters  of  love,  with  each  word  a  caress, 
Kissed  by  the  lips  that  against  mine  would  press, 
I  am  jealous  of  you,  for  the  words  you  contain 
Would  be  stale  if  by  me  were  repeated  again. 
Had  you  all  been  by  me,  then  you  all  had  been  true. 
Since  you  all  were  by  others,  your  phrasings  won't  do. 
This  makes  it  much  harder  my  love  to  confess, 
Since  I  must  seek  new  words  my  thoughts  to  express." 

Tom  read  and  re-read  the  faulty  little  verse,  and 
then  he  laid  his  tired  head  down  upon  the  package  of 
letters.  They  were  not  all  love-letters,  but,  alas,  some 
of  them  were,  and  of  a  type  he  would  not  have  had 
her  pure  fingers  touch.  Did  she  guess  this?  Or 
had  her  rhyming  been  inspired  by  mere  impulse  to 
tease  ?  Didn't  she  know  that,  even  if  she  did  repeat 


312     THE   SHELLEYS   OF    GEORGIA 

the  words  of  some  of  the  letters,  they  would  never 
sound  the  same  from  her  as  they  did  coming  from 
those  others  ?  Was  it  true  that  he  had  cheapened 
himself  and  his  love,  and  had  lost  her  respect  for- 
ever? 

Suddenly  he  rose,  went  to  his  bureau,  lifted  up  his 
mother's  picture  in  its  silver  frame,  and  carried  it 
back  to  the  desk.  He  started  to  put  it  beside  the 
packet,  and  then  gave  a  slight  shiver  of  disgust.  Had 
he  been  guided  by  some  instinct  in  keeping  her  face 
in  one  spot,  and  these  records  of  his  loves  in  another  ? 
He  only  knew  that  now  he  could  not  see  them  to- 
gether, and  after  removing  the  poetic  label,  he  threw 
the  letters  into  the  grate  and  touched  a  match  to  them. 
After  watching  them  burn  merrily,  he  returned  to  the 
desk  again,  where  Mrs.  Kemp's  writing  lay  against 
his  mother's  face. 

"Mother,"  he  said  aloud  to  the  sweet  placid 
countenance  of  the  photograph.  "  Did  you  ever  think 
your  son  would  come  to  this  ?  You  were  an  old-fash- 
ioned mother.  There  were  many  things  unspoken  of 
between  us.  Dad  was  an  old-fashioned  father,  too. 
How  often  he  spoke  to  me  of  sowing  my  wild 
oats,  as  if  it  were  the  only  natural  thing  for  a  man 
to  do  ?  How  often  he  told  of  other  men  sowing  theirs, 
and  of  his  own  young  days  when  l  wine,  women,  and 
song '  took  up  all  of  his  waking  hours  and  most  of 
his  sleeping  ones.  '  I  was  a  rare  dog  then,'  he  would 
say  with  a  wink,  and  of  course  I  thought  it  was  great 


THE    SHELLEYS   OF    GEORGIA     313 

sport  to  be  a  rare  dog,  and  longed  for  the  time  when  I 
could  be  one  too.  And  I  early  learned  that  such  re- 
marks were  not  for  your  delicate  ears.  Ladies  were 
to  be  loved  and  honored  —  and  deceived.  Oh, 
Mother,  wouldn't  it  have  been  better  if  you  had  been 
less  satisfied  with  your  anomalous  position  ?  Was  it 
quite  fair  to  your  son,  to  accept  the  old  traditions 
and  customs,  and  resign  yourself  to  the  one  niche  in 
Dad's  life  which  he  fashioned  for  you  to  occupy? 
I've  been  proud,  too,  of  the  pedestal  on  which  we  keep 
our  women.  But  is  it  not  wiser  for  them  to  step 
down,  than  to  remain  forever  aloof  ?  I  wonder !  " 

For  a  space  he  sat  in  silent  thought  with  his  eyes 
still  bent  upon  the  fair  faded  countenance.  Then 
again  he  spoke,  this  time  with  conviction.  "Why 
wasn't  I  told  things  ?  "  he  demanded  fiercely.  "  Why 
was  I  allowed  to  suppose  that  I  could  do  as  I  pleased 
with  impunity  ?  Why  was  I  encouraged  instead  of 
restrained?  Why  were  wild  oats  given  a  glamour, 
and  purity  made  to  seem  the  cloak  of  passionless 
fools  ?  It  hasn't  been  all  my  fault  —  this  mess  I 
have  made  of  my  life.  You,  Mother,  with  your 
pretty  smiling  lips,  your  unworried  brow,  your  calm 
proud  eyes  —  you  were  to  blame.  You  had  no  busi- 
ness to  be  calm  and  proud  and  unworried  when  you 
knew  —  you  must  have  known  —  you  couldn't  help 
"bui  know  —  what  sort  of  life  my  father  led.  You 
had  no  business  to  sit  serene  and  watch  my  feet  start 
on  the  same  course  —  without  one  single  protest  be- 


314     THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

cause  '  there  are  some  subjects  ladies  do  not  discuss.' 
And  my  dad  was  to  blame,  too.  He  pointed  out  the 
way  for  me.  He  taught  me  my  morals  while  you 
taught  me  my  prayers.  He  was  to  blame  —  but  back 
of  him  and  you  goes  the  long  line  of  my  ancestors  — 
fighting,  roistering  young  blades,  smooth-browed, 
smirking  damsels,  old  men  boasting  of  their  youthful 
follies,  old  women  indulging  virtuously  in  spicy 
gossip.  What  chance  had  I  ?  I  was  foredoomed  to 
the  sort  of  life  I  have  led  —  and  would  in  time  have 
become  a  boaster  in  my  turn,  had  it  not  been  for 
Rose,  and  the  Kid  Lieutenant,  and  Mrs.  Kemp.  I 
ought  to  be  thankful  for  being  made  to  halt  upon  the 
road  down  which  I  was  galloping  so  gayly.  They 
did  me  one  good  turn." 

He  leaned  his  forehead  upon  his  hand  and  con- 
tinued to  gaze  earnestly  at  the  picture,  while  he  toyed 
with  the  bit  of  verse.  "  Still,"  he  mused,  "  they  do 
not  seem  to  be  able  to  take  all  this  into  consideration. 
They  hold  me  responsible  alone,  and  alone  they  would 
have  me  pay  the  dreadful  price.  They  condemn  me 
willingly  to  such  a  course.  I  wonder  I  do  not  hate 
them  all.  I  wonder  that  I  can  consider  so  calmly 
what  they  would  have  me  do.  I  wonder  that  I  no 
longer  feel  those  wild  longings  for  revenge,  which 
once  leaped  within  me.  Eegret  and  melancholy  have 
sapped  my  soul  and  left  me  nothing  but  my  love  for 
Mrs.  Kemp.  It  is  all  of  me  that  is  alive  to-day.  If, 
in  the  future,  I  could  see  one  ray  of  hope  that  some 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF    GEORGIA     315 

day  she  would  be  my  own,  I  would  be  able  to  ac- 
complish anything,  but  now  all  is  dark  before  me. 
Life  with  Minnie  Gray?  Is  there  no  alternative 
that  would  please  her?  I  can  see  her  in  my  fancy, 
with  her  brown  eyes  so  clear  and  unfaltering,  her  lit- 
tle head  poised  so  proudly,  her  lips  so  firm  and  un- 
compromising. She  stands  at  the  branching  of  the 
roads  and  points  one  way  —  to  Minnie.  '  Marry  her 
and  make  me  happy,'  she  said.  Is  that  true  ?  " 

Another  pause,  and  again  he  spoke  aloud.  "  I 
love  her  so  dearly  that  I  should  try  to  make  her 
happy.  But  for  the  life  of  me,  I  cannot  see  that  such 
a  course  as  this  she  proposes  could  ever  make  her  so, 
or  Minnie  either?  Minnie  Gray  would  be  as  much 
at  a  loss  with  me  as  I  would  be  with  her.  During 
that  one  short  episode,  which  I  now  regard  with  such 
regret  and  shame,  there  was  no  intimacy  between  us 
save  the  fleeting  one  of  sexual  attraction.  Why, 
then,  should  we  have  to  be  bound  together  to  the 
wheel  ?  Wouldn't  it  be  as  much  of  a  penance  to  her 
as  to  me  ?  The  boy  ?  Always  the  boy !  He  is  the 
reason  they  advance.  Well,  let  me  consider  that 
reason  calmly.  Could  I  ever  hope  to  be  the  proper 
sort  of  father  for  him  ?  Could  I  train  him  to  honor 
and  revere  his  mother,  and,  through  her,  all  women  ? 
I  wonder!  Suppose  I  go  to  Minnie  Gray,  as  she 
would  have  me  do.  Does  she  intend  that  my  task 
should  end  with  the  mere  act  of  marriage  ?  No,  for, 
she  wishes  me  to  remain  a  husband  to  Minnie  and  a 


316     THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

father  to  the  boy.  Husband  and  father!  Father 
and  husband !  For  the  first  time  I  perceive  a  glim- 
mering of  what  those  words  contain.  To  be  a  hus- 
band to  Minnie  Gray,  I  must  suppress  myself  en- 
tirely. I  must  be  kind,  sympathetic,  understanding. 
I  must  merge  my  personality  in  hers  —  O  God !  — 
and  try  to  lead  her  on  and  upward.  To  be  a  father 
to  the  boy  I  must  teach  him  purity  of  heart  and  soul, 
nobility  of  purpose,  gentleness  of  spirit,  faith  in 
God  and  man!  And  I  must  teach  him  to  respect 
his  mother  more  —  much  more  than  I  respected 
mine.  I  see  now  what  I  must  do  first  of  all  —  and 
that  is,  teach  myself.  Yet  surely  in  teaching  them 
I  will  teach  myself,  and  perhaps  some  day  I  may  at- 
tain the  heights  as  well,  and  be  worthy  of  this  wonder- 
ful love  I  bear  Mrs.  Kemp." 

He  paused  again,  and  re-read  the  bit  of  poetry, 
with  a  tender  smile.  After  all,  who  was  he  to  dare 
aspire  to  the  pure,  alluring,  tender,  mysterious  bit  of 
femininity  he  knew  as  Mrs.  Kemp  ?  She  was  right 
and  he  was  wrong.  She  was  farther  above  him  than 
the  stars.  Her  own  small  feet  were  firmly  planted 
upon  the  way  of  truth.  And  yet  he  had  dared  to  lift 
his  stained  soul  and  try  to  compass  hers !  She  was 
right  and  he  was  wrong.  She  was  a  being  set  apart, 
whom  he  had  done  nothing  to  deserve.  Whosesoever 
the  fault,  the  expiation  must  be  begun,  or  else  the 
future  generations  too  would  bear  the  yoke  which  he 
had  borne,  and  bearing  it,  would  drag  others  down. 


THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA     317 

And  so  at  last  the  weary  man  surrendered.  He 
locked  away  his  mother's  picture,  half  ashamed  that 
he  had  arraigned  her,  yet  conscious  that  he  had 
heen  merely  just.  He  put  the  scrap  of  paper  in  his 
pocket,  a  talisman  —  the  only  bit  of  his  nurse  which 
he  possessed.  It  would  stay  with  him,  a  constant 
reminder  that  she  had  loved  him,  and  had  placed  his 
honor  before  everything.  He  would  act  as  she  would 
have  him  act,  and  justify  her  love.  Then  perhaps 
the  "new  words"  would  spring  unbidden  to  her 
heart,  and  though  he  might  never  hear  her  speak 
them,  yet  he  would  know  that  they  were  there. 

The  morning  had  passed  by  while  Tom  made  his 
resolution.  His  long  vigil  had  put  its  mark  upon 
him.  He  was  still  pale  and  thin,  and  walked  slowly, 
but  with  a  new  vigor  now  that  he  had  at  last  reached 
active  purpose.  His  eyes  were  quite  restored. 
Upon  his  forehead  the  cruel  mark  was  partially  hid- 
den under  his  hair,  and  time  would  whiten  it  into 
less  fiery  prominence.  He  tolerated  it  because  it 
had  brought  him  her  whom  he  worshiped  with  the 
best  that  was  in  him.  And  when  he  left  his  own 
door  for  the  first  time  in  months,  he  bore  well  the 
curious  glances  which  swept  over  him  to  rest  in- 
evitably upon  it. 

"  Laws*/ !  If  it  ain't  Tom  Blankenship !  "  This 
sentiment,  differently  expressed,  preceded  him  down 
the  street,  and  he  ran  the  gauntlet  of  curiosity,  inter- 
est, sly  questions  and  genuine  friendly  sympathy,  all 


318     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

of  which  he  knew  enough  to  regard  leniently  as  the 
most  natural  thing  in  a  town  like  Salem.  To  all  who 
accosted  him  he  answered  in  a  manner  so  different 
from  his  former  devil-may-care  raillery,  that  the 
noise  preceding  his  coming  died  after  his  passing,  and 
silent  wonder  took  its  place.  The  town's-folk  had  no 
words  fo  express  this  new  something  they  sensed  in 
the  young  man  —  unless  it  was  that  he  had  "  gone 
and  got  religion."  Later  on  this  conjecture  became 
current  gossip,  and  was  developed  into  permanent  his- 
tory. 

Tom  hent  his  steps  towards  the  Shelley  house. 
Having  flung  down  his  arms,  he  was  willing  to  go  to 
extremes  in  his  expiation,  and  it  seemed  to  him  only 
right  and  fitting  that  Rose  and  Madge  and  Gahe 
should  come  first.  He  realized  now  how  truly  his 
friends  they  had  tried  to  be.  He  was  bent  upon 
humble  acknowledgment  of  this  fact.  And  it  was 
in  keeping  with  his  attitude  of  mind  that  he  walked 
instead  of  using  his  fast  horse. 

For  this  reason  he  was  tired  when  he  reached  their 
gate,  and  paused  for  breath  and  to  look  about  at  the 
beautiful  garden  and  dignified  mansion.  There  were 
evidences  that  a  lunch  party  had  been  in  progress,  but 
the  place  was  now  deserted,  for  a  wonder,  and  its 
peace  struck  him  anew.  The  characters  of  those  who 
lived  within  had  made  their  impress  on  the  scene. 
Again  a  sense  of  his  unworthiness  stole  upon  him,  so 
overwhelmingly  that  he  was  tempted  to  turn  away. 


THE    SHELLEY S    OF    GEORGIA     319 

'But  his  will  held  him,  and  with  bowed  head  he  en- 
tered. 

As  he  neared  the  porch  merry  voices  from  within 
the  house  struck  on  his  ear.  Eose  was  laughing  and 
talking  to  some  one, —  a  man,  as  his  gruffer  tones  now 
told  Tom.  But  before  he  could  wonder  who  this  man 
might  be,  the  front  door  opened,  and  Gabe  came  out 
with  Madge  and  old  Judge  Oglethorpe. 

"  God  bless  my  soul !  "  exclaimed  the  Judge,  while 
Gabe  called,  "Bose,  look  who's  here!"  and  then 
dashed  down  the  steps  to  seize  Tom's  limp  hand  in  so 
hearty  a  grip  as  to  quite  bewilder  the  poor  fellow, 
who,  from  too  much  brooding,  had  imagined  a  recep- 
tion more  in  accord  with  his  just  deserts. 

Madge  followed  Gabe,  and  caught  hold  of  Tom's 
other  hand.  "  It  does  seem  good  to  know  that  you 
are  well  enough  to  be  walking  about  again,"  she 
beamed. 

"  By  Jove,  it  does,"  seconded  the  Judge,  and,  since 
Tom  had  no  other  hand  available,  he  grabbed  a  coat- 
lapel,  and  shook  it  vigorously. 

"  Who  is  it,  Father  ?  "  called  Eose's  gay  voice,  and 
while  Tom  was  still  helpless  in  the  hands  of  his 
friends,  she  ran  out  and  spied  him.  The  color  left 
her  cheeks,  and  for  a  moment  she  stood  wide-eyed. 
Slowly,  hesitantly,  she  came  forward,  while  the  others 
stepped  back  so  that  Tom  stood  alone.  And  then, 
with  a  glad  little  rush,  she  swooped  down  the  steps. 
"Tom,  Tom!"  she  cried.  "How  glorious  to  see 


320     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

you  here  once  more !  "     And  in  her  excess  of  extrava- 
gant emotion  she  gave  him  a  hearty  hug  and  kiss. 

"  Here,  here !  "  cried  the  Judge.  "  This  won't  do, 
Kose." 

"  Oh,  I  know,"  she  cried.  "  But  I  had  to  express 
myself  somehow.  Tom,  how  are  you  ?  Come  up  on 
the  porch  and  rest,  and  tell  us  all  the  news  about 
yourself.  Come  up  and  meet  Mr.  Fort.  He  was  at 
the  front  when  you  were,  and  it  was  he  who  saved 
your  life.  Hurry !  Mr.  Fort,  come  here !  This  is 
TomBlankenship!" 

So  speaking  breathlessly  in  a  whirlwind  of  joy, 
Rose  pulled  Tom  up  the  wide  steps.  He  protested 
laughingly,  touched  to  the  heart  by  his  welcome. 

"  I  don't  want  to  meet  Mr.  Fort  yet,  nor  I  don't 
want  the  Judge  around  either.  I  want  to  speak  to 
just  you,  Kose,  and  Madge  and  Gabe.  I  have  some- 
thing to  say  to  you  all." 

Fort,  from  the  doorway,  had  seen  the  welcome 
Rose  gave  Tom,  and  had  quite  understood.  That 
was  one  of  the  likable  things  about  him,  his  readiness 
to  understand.  He  now  came  forward  with  a  smile 
of  greeting,  and  extended  his  hand  to  Tom.  "  I'll 
say,  how  do  you  do  ?  first,"  he  remarked,  "  and  then 
the  Judge  and  I  will  go  for  a  stroll.  I  met  you  once 
before,  Mr.  Blankenship,  in  Captain  Gabe's  office." 

Every  vestige  of  the  color  which  had  flooded  Tom's 
sallow  cheeks  left  them  as  Homer  spoke  and  grasped 
his  hand.  There  was  no  mistaking  that  kindly  voice, 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF    GEORGIA     321 

nor  the  warm  clasp.     Tom  was  carried  back  to  a  night 
in  Cuba,  when  he  lay  dying. 

"  It  was  you  who  saved  me,"  he  now  said  simply. 
"  I  know  your  voice  and  touch.  I  didn't  deserve 
your  kindness,  but  some  day  perhaps  I  can  make  you 
glad  you  went  out  of  your  way  to  help  me.  After 
all,  why  should  you  or  the  Judge  leave  us  ?  I  pre- 
sume you  both  know  the  particulars  of  my  story,  don't 
you?" 

Homer  nodded,  at  which  Eose  looked  surprised, 
and  Gabe  a  trifle  guilty.  The  Judge  chuckled  softly. 
"  God  bless  my  soul,  the  whole  town  knows  your 
story,  Tom.  You'd  be  surprised  how  near  they  come 
to  some  of  it,  too.  They  know  you  were  in  love  with 
Eose  and  that  she  refused  you.  They  know  you  are 
in  love  with  Mrs.  Kemp  and  that  she  left  you.  But 
it  has  been  so  long  since  you  have  furnished  Salem 
with  any  real  thrills  that  they  are  quite  disconsolate. 
I  came  to  Madge  and  got  straight  information,  so  I 
had  the  excitement  of  waiting  for  the  final  outcome. 
If  you  don't  mind  I'll  stay,  and  so  will  Homer." 

Tom,  eager  to  acknowledge  his  fault,  was  ready  to 
humble  himself  wholesale.  "  I  don't  mind  at  all," 
he  said.  "  What  I  have  to  state  can  be  gotten  over 
in  a  very  few  words.  It  is  merely  that  I  have  taken 
time  to  think  the  matter  over,  and  have  come  to  see 
the  reasonableness  of  yours  and  Mrs.  Kemp's  posi- 
tion. My  only  honorable  course  is  to  do  as  you  de- 
sire. I  have  also  decided  that  I  made  an  utter  fool 


322     THE   SHELLEY S    OF    GEORGIA 

of  myself  that  day  at  the  post-office,  Captain  Gabe, 
and  several  other  times  that  I  could  mention.  I 
have  been  punished  severely  for  the  past.  I  am 
ready  to  turn  about.  Madge,  will  you  forgive  me, 
and  give  me  a  chance  to  prove  myself  your  friend  ?  " 

"  This  is  fine  of  you,  Tom,"  said  Rose  earnestly. 
She  was  the  first  to  clasp  his  hand. 

"Don't  say  another  word,  my  boy,"  commanded 
Gabe.  "  Your  coming  here  to-day  was  quite  enough 
to  show  how  you  had  changed.  We'll  just  turn  over 
a  new  leaf  and  start  fresh.  By  the  Lord  Harry! 
You  just  wait  until  you  see  my  editorial  to-morrow. 
I'll  rip  you  up  and  down  the  back,  Tom,  in  my  best 
old-time  style." 

This  brought  a  faint  smile  to  Tom's  lips.  "  You 
can  call  me  all  the  names  you  like,  Captain,"  he  said. 
"  So  long  as  you  take  me  by  the  hand  and  call  me 
friend  as  well." 

"  Gabe,"  said  the  Judge  plaintively.  "  Can't  we 
celebrate  with  a  julep  ?  " 

"  Of  course  we  can,"  answered  Gabe.  "  Jack,  you 
rascal,  where  are  you  ?  " 

"  Hyar,  boss !  "  The  negro  appeared  so  suddenly 
from  behind  the  corner  of  the  veranda  that  the  Judge 
exploded. 

"  God  bless  my  soul,  the  scoundrel  was  listening,  I 
do  believe." 

"Baigin5  yo'  pahdon,  suh,"  responded  Jack  with 
dignity.  "I  wuzn't  ezzackly  listenin',  but  I  —  I 


THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA     323 

jus'  happened  to  be  in  de  vimcimity,  an'  ob  co'se  silt- 
tin  words  reached  my  years.  But  listenin' !  Huh ! 
Ain't  dis  ol'  nigguh  got  a  right  to  listen,  foh  dat  mat- 
tuh  ?  Ain't  I  one  ob  de  f  ambly  ?  Ain't  I  done  been 
wid  de  Boss  eber  sence  Miss  Rose  wuz  a  baby? 
Ain't  much  goin'  on  around  hyar  dat  I  doan't  hab  a 
finguh  in,  is  dey,  Miss  Eose  ?  " 

"That's  right,  Uncle  Jack,"  said  Eose.  "And 
we'd  all  trust  you  anywhere." 

"  Dar  now,"  grinned  TJncle  Jack,  much  mollified, 
and  departed  upon  his  errand.  Tom  nervously 
turned  to  Eose. 

"  Where  shall  I  find  Minnie  Gray  ?  "  he  asked  di- 
rectly. "  I  mean  to  marry  her  as  soon  as  possible. 
The  sooner  I  can  get  it  over,  the  better." 

"  Is  that  the  way  to  approach  your  wedding, 
Tom  ? "  reproved  the  Judge. 

"  It  is  the  only  way  to  approach  this  one,"  said 
Tom  quickly.  "  I  have  made  up  my  mind  to  do  the 
best  I  can,"  he  continued  frankly.  "  I  shall  devote 
myself  to  Minnie  and  the  boy.  I'll  try  to  teach  him 
to  avoid  the  course  I  followed.  I'll  try  to  educate 
her  and  turn  her  into  a  woman  he  can  be  proud  to 
call  his  mother.  I  may  fail,  but  at  least  I  will  have 
made  the  effort.  And  my  reward  will  be  in  your  re- 
spect and  friendship,  and  perhaps,  once  in  a  great 
while,  a  word  from  Mrs.  Kemp.  Do  you  think  she 
would  grant  me  that  one  small  favor,  Eose?"  he 
asked  wistfully.  "  Do  you  think  she  will  send  me  a 


324     THE   SHELLEY S    OF   GEORGIA 

word  of  encouragement  now  and  then,  to  sustain  me" 
on  my  course  ?  " 

"  Oh,  I  am  sure  she  will,"  cried  Rose,  with  tear- 
filled  eyes.  "  I  am  quite  sure  she  will.  Minnie  is 
in  her  old  home,  waiting  for  you,  Tom.  You  will 
find  her  changed  by  suffering,  as  well  as  you.  And 
perhaps  your  task  will  prove  easier  than  you  now 
apprehend." 


CHAPTER  XXII 

""W  "IT  T  E  have  got  to  hurry  if  we  are  going  to 
\/\/     get  to  the  hills  ahead  of  Tom  Blanken- 
»     »        ship,"  announced  Gabe,  after  Tom  had 
gone. 

Eose  looked  up  in  glad  surprise.  "  Oh,  Father," 
she  exclaimed.  "  Then  it  is  to  be  this  afternoon, 
after  all  ?  I  had  been  so  afraid  you  meant  to  make 
me  wait  until  next  week." 

"Perhaps  I  might,  if  Tom  had  not  come,"  re- 
turned Gabe.  "  Well,  no,  I  won't  say  that,  either.  I 
was  debating  whether  to  go  to-day  or  to-morrow,  and 
now  I  think  it  had  better  be  to-day.  I  want  Minnie 
to  be  with  us,  and  I  want  all  of  your  attention,  my 
dear.  So,  before  your  pretty  head  gets  filled  with 
wedding  plans,  I'll  get  in  my  innings." 

"  I'm  going  along,  Gabe,"  said  the  Judge  at  his 
elbow.  "  But  I  can't  ride  horseback  that  far.  How 
soon  shall  we  start  ?  " 

"  As  soon  as  Jack  can  get  the  team  harnessed,"  an- 
swered Gabe.     "  How  are  all  of  us  going  to  pile  in  ? 
You,  Judge,  need  a  whole  seat  to  yourself,  and  even 
then  you  may  break  the  springs." 
325 


326     THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

"  I  don't  care,  I'm  going,"  declared  the  Judge  ob- 
stinately. "  I've  got  to  know  your  secret  as  well  as 
Eose  and  Madge  and  Homer  Fort.  If  I  break  the 
springs,  I'll  pay  for  'em,  Gabe,  you  old  skinflint." 

"  I  shall  ride  Betsy,"  said  Eose  calmly. 

"  Lend  me  a  horse,  and  I'll  keep  you  company," 
cried  Homer. 

"  You  can  take  mine,  so  that's  all  settled,"  inter- 
posed the  Judge.  "Madge,  I'll  drive,  so  you  and 
Gabe  can  spoon  behind  my  back." 

"If  Gabe  goes  as  sheriff,  I  shall  keep  my  dis- 
tance," retorted  Madge  placidly.  "But  if  he  goes 
as  the  gentleman  farmer  he  has  been  all  summer, 
I'll  not  answer  for  the  consequences." 

"  Gentleman  farmer  it  shall  be,"  chuckled  Gabe  de- 
lightedly. 

"  I  see,"  laughed  the  Judge,  "  that  you  have  a 
choice  of  gallants,  Madge.  Don't  you  care  for  the 
editor,  or  the  politician,  or  the  Civil  War  veter- 
an?" 

Madge  shrugged  her  pretty  shoulders.  "  I  pre- 
fer my  farmer  husband,"  she  said  loyally,  "  for  ordi- 
nary every-day  existence.  But  I  don't  mind  telling 
you  that  the  philanthropist  is  the  one  I  really  most 
adore." 

She  went  with  Eose  into  the  house  to  get  ready  for 
the  journey,  which  Gabe  had  announced  with  such 
scant  preliminaries.  The  three  men  walked  out  to 
the  stables,  and  a  half -hour  later  they  were  on  their 


THE   SHELLEY S    OF    GEORGIA     327 

way  to  the  hills,  with  Rose  and  Homer  leading  the 
way  on  their  spirited  mounts. 

The  two  young  people  were  silent,  at  first,  Rose  oc- 
cupied with  her  own  thoughts,  and  he  with  watching 
her.  While  he  was  "  head  over  heels  in  love  "  he  had 
his  emotions  well  under  control,  and  until  his  oppor- 
tunity came  he  meant  to  continue  to  restrain  them. 
The  intimacy  between  himself  and  Rose  had  daily 
grown.  During  the  past  few  weeks  Madge  had 
sought  out  opportunities  to  throw  them  into  each 
other's  company,  and  Rose  had  been  unwontedly  meek 
and  docile,  accepting  demurely  the  plans  Madge  made 
for  her,  and  outwardly  had  been  calm,  quiet  and 
friendly.  But  her  eyes  baffled  Homer.  He  could 
not  guess  what  went  on  in  the  active  brain  behind 
them.  Frank  though  the  girl  was,  up  to  a  certain 
limit,  her  reserve  beyond  that  point  was  impene- 
trable. 

However,  it  was  clear  that  Rose  had  been  deeply 
touched  by  Tom's  visit,  and  Homer  was  wondering 
if  her  softened  mood  did  not  give  him  the  chance  he 
wanted,  of  probing  into  the  deeps  of  her  heart.  So 
he  continued  watching  her  covertly,  while  he  kept  his 
horse  beside  hers. 

At  last  she  roused  from  her  reverie,  and  it  was 
evident  that  his  gaze  upon  her  was  what  had  accom- 
plished this  end.  She  fidgetted  on  her  horse,  gal- 
loped ahead,  and  then  waited  his  coming  with  a  sud- 
den change  of  front. 


328     THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

"Mr.  Fort,"  she  asked  soberly,  "how  long  have 
you  known  of  this  affair  of  Tom's  ?  " 

"  Your  father  told  me  the  whole  story  the  very  day 
of  my  arrival  here,"  confessed  Homer.  "  He 
thought  I  ought  to  know,  because,  being  his  guest,  I 
would  inevitably  see  what  was  going  on,  and  might 
draw  false  conclusions." 

"  And  besides,"  mused  Eose,  "  you  saved  Tom's 
life,  and  so  were  entitled  to  the  knowledge  in  a  way." 

"  I  did  nothing,"  replied  Homer  shortly.  "  I  was 
fortunate  in  being  on  the  spot  at  the  time,  but  that 
was  all.  Is  it  true,"  he  continued  with  characteristic 
directness,  "that  you  once  loved  this  Blankenship 
yourself  ?  " 

Eose  colored.  "You  have  no  right  to  ask  me 
that." 

"Perhaps  not.  Yet  I  am  interested  enough  to 
transgress.  I  should  like  to  know  something  of  what 
has  gone  before  in  your  life.  There  are  certain  sad 
little  poses  of  yours  which  tell  me  you  have  suffered 
deeply.  I  claim  the  right  of  friendship  to  sympathy 
and  understanding." 

She  looked  bravely  into  his  eyes.  What  she  read 
there  reassured  her.  "  Well,  yes,"  she  admitted, 
while  their  horses  went  shoulder  to  shoulder  down  the 
dusty  road.  "  I  once  thought  the  world  of  Tom. 
He  was  older  than  the  other  men  I  knew  —  and  he 
seemed  very  wonderful  to  me.  I  woke  from  my 
dream  soon  enough  to  realize  that  it  was  founded  on 


THE   SHELLEY S   OF   GEORGIA     329 

what  I  had  imagined  him  to  be,  rather  than  what  he 
was.  Did  my  father  tell  you  the  circumstances  which 
led  to  my  refusal  of  him  ?  " 

"  Yes,  something  of  them.     I  guessed  the  rest." 

"  Did  he  tell  you  how  I  tried  —  to  make  Tom  see 
the  truth?" 

"  Something  of  that,  too,"  said  Homer.  "  But  I 
gathered  that  even  he  and  Madge  were  not  in  your 
entire  confidence  there." 

"  No,"  said  Rose  wearily.  "  I  shall  tell  them  some 
day,  I  suppose,  especially  now  that  Tom  has  turned 
about  and  given  my  foolish  act  results.  I  debased 
myself,  Mr.  Fort,  for  Minnie's  sake.  I  played  a  part 
—  took  '  li'l  Tawm '  and  pretended  he  was  my  own  — 
so  that  Tom  Blankenship  might  see  how  it  would  have 
seemed  if  I  had  been  —  the  girl  he  had  wronged,  in- 
stead of  Minnie.  He  refused  to  concede  that  Minnie 
might  be  affected  as  I  would  be,  and  I  know  that  for 
a  time  I  lost  his  respect." 

"  Why  have  you  told  me  this  ? "  asked  Homer  ab- 
ruptly. 

"  Because,"  she  parried. 

"  Shall  I  tell  you  why  ?  "  he  answered  clearly,  pull- 
ing their  horses  to  a  walk.  "  You  realize  that  I  love 
you,  and  you  wish  to  warn  me  off.  You  think  I  will 
adopt  Tom's  point  of  view,  and  like  you  less  for  this 
act  of  yours.  Isn't  that  it  ? " 

She  was  silent.  It  was  true  and  she  could  not 
deny  it. 


330     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

"Rose,  I  respect  you  for  that  impulsive  deed," 
cried  Homer  earnestly.  "  It  was  like  you.  Instead 
of  making  me  love  you  less,  it  has  made  me  love 
you  more.  I  think  the  time  has  come  for  me  to 


"  No !  "  she  interposed  breathlessly.  "  I  will  not 
let  you  do  so,  for  I  can  give  you  but  one  answer." 

"  Then  don't  answer  yet,"  he  begged.  "  But  tell 
me,  do  you  still  care  an  iota  for  Tom  Blanken- 
ship?" 

"No,  no!" 

"  Then  there  is  a  chance  for  me." 

"  No,  there  is  not.  I  cannot  let  you  deceive  your- 
self," stated  Rose  firmly. 

"  Why  not  ?  Is  it  because  I  am  so  ordinary, — 
commonplace  —  red-headed  —  freckled  —  ugly  — " 

"  Oh,  Mr.  Fort !  Did  you  hear  me  say  that  to 
Madge?" 

"  Unfortunately  for  my  peace  of  mind  I  have  keen 
ears,"  he  answered  with  a  smile.  "  However,  Rose, 
I  don't  mind  telling  you  that  those  very  handicaps  of 
mine  which  you  mentioned  so  frankly,  spur  me  on  to 
the  race.  I'll  win  you  yet,  in  spite  of  my  homely 
face  and  commonplace  manners.  I'll  make  you  love 
me." 

She  looked  troubled,  then  defiant.  "  I  am  sorry 
you  heard  me  call  you  names,"  she  worried.  "  I 
didn't  mean  them,  really.  I  was  in  a  temper.  I  do 
like  you  very  much,  Mr.  Fort.  I  —  I  think  your 


THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA      331 

face  decidedly  attractive.  But  I  cannot  love  you.  I 
do  not  believe  I  can  ever  love  again." 

"  Because  one  man  deceived  you,  is  your  whole  life 
to  be  spoiled  ?  " 

"  As  far  as  love  goes,  yes.  Mr.  Fort,  you  cannot 
appreciate  the  depth  of  the  feeling  I  had  for  Tom. 
I  was  just  a  foolish  young  girl,  and  I  gave  my  whole 
heart  to  him.  If  you  could  go  back  to  the  time  of 
your  first  love  —  and  could  then  imagine  her  proven 
false  and  wholly  despicable  —  you  might  perhaps 
realize  a  little  of  what  I  suffered." 

"  I  can  go  back  to  that  time,  but  I  cannot  imagine 
her  false.  You  are  the  only  woman  I  ever  loved," 
vowed  Homer. 

"  That  is  what  they  all  say."  She  looked  at  him 
askance. 

He  stared  back  in  blank  astonishment.  "  Rose," 
he  said  slowly.  "  If  loving  Tom  Blankenship  has 
made  you  lose  your  faith  in  men,  then  indeed  he  has 
done  you  irreparable  harm." 

"  That  is  just  what  he  has  done,"  declared  Eose 
stubbornly.  "  The  wound  has  healed,  but  it  has  left 
its  scar  upon  my  very  soul.  I'll  never  trust  a  man 
again." 

There  was  a  pause.  Then  Homer  mused  aloud, 
"  I  scarcely  know  how  to  combat  your  prejudices.  I 
might  usher  witnesses  to  prove  to  you  that  there  are 
men  whose  ideals  are  as  high  as  yours,  but  you  would 
probably  think  them  perjured." 


332     THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

Rose  curled  her  lip.  "  You  are  a  traveling-man. 
I  have  heard  many  tales  of  such  men.  They  stop 
often  at  the  Yancey  Hotel.  I  know  that  you  are 
much  better  than  the  average,  or  my  father  would 
never  have  invited  you  into  our  home.  Yet,  how  can , 
I  tell  what  slips  you  may  have  made  ?  " 

"You  must  take  my  word  for  that,"  asserted 
Homer  quietly.  <(  If  it  is  necessary  I  will  swear  to 
you  that  I  am  not  like  those  others.  I  had  a  wise 
mother,  God  bless  her,  who  taught  me  to  demand 
nothing  from  the  woman  I  would  one  day  marry,  that 
I  could  not  give  her  in  return.  I  knew  that  the 
woman  I  loved  must  be  pure,  and  years  ago  I  re- 
solved to  keep  myself  so,  against  the  day  I  met  her. 
I  have  found  her  in  you,  and  now  I  can  face  you  hon- 
estly, and  tell  you  that  my  past  has  been  consecrated 
to  you  just  as  fully  as  my  future  will  be.  There  is 
not  a  conscious  act  of  mine  that  has  not  been  held  up 
beforehand  for  judgment  in  this  light.  Look  at  me, 
Eose,  and  tell  me  you  believe  me." 

Rose  looked  into  his  eyes.  Her  own  were  troubled. 
"  Unfortunately  you  have  the  sort  of  face  to  inspire 
confidence,"  she  retorted.  "You  could  tell  a  lie 
straight  from  the  shoulder,  and,  backed  by  your 
eyes,  could  get  yourself  believed.  Mr.  Fort,  I  do  not 
dare  to  trust  you.  Frankly,  I  do  not  dare." 

This  admission  left  him  breathless,  and  before  he 
could  recover  she  had  touched  Betsy  with  her  whip, 
and  flashed  ahead  of  him  down  the  road.  He  gal- 


THE   SHELLEY S   OF   GEORGIA     333 

loped  after  in  mad  pursuit.  When  he  caught  her 
again  she  was  laughing,  a  bewitching  embodiment  of 
the  clear  sunny  afternoon. 

"  Mr.  Fort,"  she  cried  gaily.  "  I  see  you  have 
'  baleful  intent  in  your  eye.  I  won't  have  it.  I  feel 
about  ten  years  old  to-day,  and  I  am  on  my  way  to  the 
hills,  to  a  surprise  which  is  sure  to  please  me  tremend- 
ously, because  my  father  has  worked  so  hard  for  it. 
This  party  shall  not  be  spoiled.  Be  kind  and  lose 
yourself  with  me  in  the  present  moment.  Laugh 
with  me.  Don't  look  so  stern,  or  I'll  turn  back  to 
ride  beside  the  carryall,  and  flirt  with  old  Judge 
Oglethorpe." 

"  Give  me  a  promise,  first,"  he  answered  her. 
"Promise  me  you  will  let  me  speak  of  this  again 
later." 

"  Anything  to  oblige,"  she  mocked.  "  I'll  do  even 
better  than  that.  If  ever  I  feel  like  returning  to  this 
subject  I  will  do  so  of  my  own  accord,  and  invite  you 
to  make  love  to  me.  I  won't  be  at  all  bashful.  Now 
I'll  race  you  to  the  crossroads,  and  then  we'll  get 
down  and  drink  from  the  spring  there,  and  maybe  the 
persimmons  will  be  ripe,  and  the  chinquapins  — 
Oh,  Mr.  Fort,  I  do  love  persimmons  when  they  don't 
pucker  my  mouth." 

Who  could  resist  her,  as  she  pursed  her  rosy  lips 
and  opened  her  dark  eyes  wide  ?  !Not  Homer,  and 
with  a  laugh  he  joined  in  the  mad  race.  Later  they 
knelt  together  at  the  spring,  drinking  from  cups 


334     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

made  of  big  plantain  leaves.  She  was  as  active  as 
he  in  throwing  sticks  at  the  persimmons.  He  got  a 
puckery  one  and  was  almost  glad  when  he  saw  how 
she  enjoyed  his  wry  faces.  They  searched  for  chin- 
quapins in  the  bushes  by  the  road  and  found  a  few 
which  the  squirrels  had  overlooked.  And  then,  like 
two  children  indeed,  they  played  at  hide-and-seek 
among  the  low  scrub-pine,  until  the  arrival  of  the 
carryall  warned  them  to  grow  up  again  in  a  hurry. 

They  now  fell  in  behind,  and  amused  themselves 
by  flipping  the  tiny  nuts  at  the  Judge's  tall  silk  hat, 
until  Gabe  threatened  to  stop  and  chastise  them  both. 
After  that  they  indulged  in  jokes  and  merry  badinage 
until  the  woods  rang  with  their  gay  laughter. 

"Kose,"  called  Gabe  at  last.  "You  are  not  in 
the  proper  serious  mood  for  my  surprise.  We  have 
only  a  mile  to  go  now.  If  you  don't  stop  your 
frivolating  I  shall  turn  around  and  make  for  home." 

"  Just  as  though  you  could  get  me  to  turn  back 
now/'  she  mocked.  "  Wait  a  minute,  Father.  I  want 
to  show  Mr.  Fort  the  view.  See  how  high  we  are  ? 
That  little  strip  of  white,  way  down  yonder,  is  the 
road  we  were  on  an  hour  ago." 

She  pointed  and  the  eyes  of  the  party  followed. 
It  was  a  familiar  scene  to  every  one  but  Homer,  so  he 
was  a  trifle  startled  when  Gabe  emitted  a  low  whistle 
of  astonishment. 

"  Whose  team  is  that  down  there  ?  "  asked  the  Cap- 
tain. 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     335 

Rose  strained  her  eyes  upon  the  speck  below. 
"  Tom  Blankenship's,"  she  exclaimed. 

"  God  bless  my  soul,  he  lost  no  time,"  cried  the 
Judge.  "  Hurry  up  with  your  surprise,  Gabe." 

"  Yes,"  seconded  Rose.  "  Please  hurry,  if  Minnie 
is  to  share  it  with  us,  Father.  Then  I  can  send  her 
out  in  time  to  meet  Tom." 

So  it  was  at  a  gallop  that  the  party  rode  up  to  the 
gates  of  Gabe's  hotel. 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

MES.  GEAY'S  little  old  weatherbeaten 
house  stood  just  outside  the  arched  en- 
trance through  the  tall  new  fence  that  sur- 
rounded Gabe's  portion  of  her  land.  It  had  been 
renovated  within  to  an  astonishing  extent,  but  for 
reasons  of  her  own  Minnie  had  kept  the  exterior  in 
its  former  dilapidation.  She  wanted  everything  to 
appear  as  though  she  had  not  changed,  in  case  Torn 
should  come  into  the  hills  to  find  her.  But  plans 
were  already  on  foot  to  repair  and  paint  the  clap- 
boards, and  to  enlarge  and  beautify  the  porch,  for 
Gabe  meant  the  place  to  ultimately  serve  as  a  sort  of 
lodge  for  his  hotel,  and  to  present  a  pretty  rustic 
appearance.  As  yet  the  plot  of  ground  remaining 
was  neglected,  and  chickens  and  black  "  shoats " 
scratched  and  rooted  contentedly  about  the  door- 
step. 

Minnie  heard  the  noise  the  arrival  of  the  merry 
party  made,  and  came  out  to  greet  them.  Eose 
leaped  from  her  saddle  straight  into  the  arms  of  the 
mountain  girl,  while  Homer  dismounted  more  at 
leisure.  With  many  groans  the  Judge  forced  his 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     337 

stout  bulk  out  of  the  carryall,  and  Gabe,  almost  as 
spry  as  his  daughter,  jumped  out  and  lifted  Madge 
to  the  ground. 

"An  imposing  gateway,  Gabe,"  commented  the 
Judge,  wheezing  from  his  exertion.  "  Is  that  the 
name  of  the  place, —  '  Suncrest '  ?  Good  name  for  a 
summer  resort  —  beautiful  lawn,  too.  What  are  the 
swings  and  seesaws  for  ?  Are  you  going  to  take  only 
boarders  with  children  ?  " 

Gabe  did  not  reply,  but  walked  forward  and  swung 
wide  the  big  gates.  "  Welcome !  "  he  cried.  "  Wel- 
come to  Suncrest,  all  of  you.  Rose,  come  and  take 
my  arm.  Minnie,  come  around  to  my  other  side. 
Madge,  Homer,  and  the  Judge  can  bring  up  the  rear. 
Now  then,  forward,  march !  " 

Rose  was  looking  with  all  her  eyes  at  the  rolling 
land  before  her.  It  had  once  been  a  rocky  mountain 
pasture,  and  the  larger  stones  had  been  allowed  to  re- 
main where  they  were.  But  the  grass  had  been  cut, 
and  presented  a  trim  prophecy  of  the  velvet  turf  into 
which  Gabe  meant  it  to  develop.  Huge  pines  and 
hemlocks,  oaks  and  chestnuts,  bounded  the  open 
space,  and  beyond,  through  their  close  ranks,  a 
glimpse  of  a  long,  low  brick  structure  could  be  caught. 

But  now,  as  Rose  gazed  about  she  saw  movement 
in  the  trees.  Little  figures  were  creeping  stealthily 
forward  under  cover.  At  a  given  signal  they 
swarmed  into  the  open,  and  shouting,  laughing,  talk- 
ing, in  the  noisy  happy  abandon  of  childhood,  some 


338     THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

thirty  small  boys  and  girls  launched  themselves  upon 
the  group. 

"  Hi,  Cap !  Hillo,  Cap'n  Gabe !  What  you  got 
in  your  pockets  for  us  this  time  ? "  "  Oh,  Cap ! 
The  black  cow  has  got  a  calf  a'ready,  with  the  wob- 
bliest legs,  and  a  white  star  on  her  nose,  what  won't 
hold  her  up,  sca'cely."  And,  "  Cap'n,  whatchu 
think  ?  We  f oun'  a  bees'  nest  in  a  ol'  holler  maple. 
D'ye  reckon  they  is  honey  in  it  ?  " 

Rose  and  Minnie  drew  back,  leaving  Gabe  alone  to 
bear  the  brunt  of  the  onslaught  of  children.  They 
surrounded  him,  each  eager  to  get  in  his  or  her  own 
bit  of  important  news.  Small  moist  fingers  searched 
his  pockets,  eager  arms  reached  up  towards  his  shoul- 
ders, and  one  tiny  creature  hugged  his  leg  and 
shinned  up  it  like  the  trunk  of  a  tree,  so  eager  was  he 
to  reach  the  Captain's  ear. 

The  stalwart  man  among  this  bevy  of  admirers 
made  a  picture  that  brought  the  tears  to  the  eyes  of 
the  rest.  "'Never  mind,  now,"  he  shouted  laugh- 
ingly. "  Here !  This  won't  do !  Take  yourselves 
off  and  play  while  I  explain  your  presence.  Scoot !  " 

As  reluctantly  as  before  they  had  been  eager,  the 
children  scattered,  some  to  the  swings,  some  to  the 
sand  piles,  some  to  seesaws,  merry-go-rounds  and 
sliding  boards,  all  bent  on  showing  off  before  their 
audience.  Such  prodigious  feats  as  were  performed 
must  at  any  other  time  have  won  Eose's  heartfelt  ad- 


THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA     339 

miration,  but  just  now  she  had  something  else  to 
think  about. 

"  Those  children  have  been  here  for  almost  a  week," 
whispered  Minnie  in  her  ear.  "  I  know  because  I 
heard  them.  And  I  saw  some  of  them  come  in,  but 
very  few  had  mothers." 

Rose  had  noticed  that  many  of  the  little  faces1 
were  pinched  and  pale,  and  some  few  of  the  little 
limbs  were  sadly  crippled.  Now  as  Gabe  turned  to 
her  she  looked  up  with  shining  eyes. 

"It  isn't  a  hotel,  after  all,  is  it,  Father?  But 
you  and  Madge  do  not  approve  of  asylums  —  so  I 
don't  quite  understand — " 

"  I  reckon  that  now  is  as  good  a  time  for  my  speech 
as  any,"  said  Gabe.  "  So  I'll  get  it  over.  Every- 
where in  this  country  they  are  conserving  the  forests, 
the  water-power,  the  minerals,  the  cattle  —  even  the 
hogs.  I've  been  interested,  but  it  seemed  to  me  that 
another  kind  of  conservation  was  more  imperative  — 
the  conservation  of  the  children  born  under  the  stars 
and  stripes.  The  only  ways  in  which  this  has  been 
attempted  are  private  charity,  and  sectarian  institu- 
tions. Both  are  imperfect.  The  first  only  reaches 
the  individuals  of  a  small  number  of  families.  The 
second  rears  boys  and  girls  under  dwarfing  condi- 
tions, with  inadequate  food,  rigorous  punishments, 
set  rules  for  conduct.  It  establishes  a  routine  under 
which  it  attempts  to  pour  every  variety  of  char- 


340     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

acter  into  the  same  mold,  and  to  drive  each  child  to 
the  same  goal.  To  my  mind  this  is  a  crime.  Im- 
agine yourself,  Rose,  as  a  child  of  twelve,  suddenly 
snatched  from  your  free  and  merry  life,  clothed  in 
an  ugly  uniform,  forced  to  conform  to  the  rules  of  a 
machine  in  which  you  soon  become  merely  a  cog. 
Imagine  your  spirit  broken  down,  yourself  shaped 
into  one  groove  from  which  there  can  be  no  deviation, 
and  you  will  see  why  I  abhor  all  such  institutions." 

"  But,  God  bless  my  soul,  Gabe,  ain't  this  an  insti- 
tution ?  " 

Gabe  only  smiled  at  the  Judge  and  continued. 

"  In  every  State  of  this  union  there  are  tracts  of 
unoccupied  land.  Suppose  the  Government  secured 
such  tracts,  and  started  state  reservations  for  work 
and  play,  discipline  and  recreation,  and  the  mental 
education  and  training  of  every  ward  that  comes 
under  its  care.  These  reservations  would  consist  of 
orchards,  vineyards,  gardens  and  fields,  in  which  the 
necessary  food  stuffs  could  be  grown  by  the  children 
themselves,  under  the  care  of  men  and  women  living 
on  the  reservations  with  their  own  families,  and  men- 
tally trained  and  fitted  for  the  work.  They  would , 
be  similar  to  Annapolis  and  West  Point.  The  man  > 
at  either  of  those  places  does  not  feel  himself  a  de- 
pendent, a  charity  pauper,  though  he  is  being  trained 
at  the  expense  of  the  Government  for  the  nation's 
service.  But  there  would  be  this  difference,  that 
whereas  every  boy  educated  at  West  Point  is  intended 


THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA     341 

to  become  a  soldier,  the  children  trained  in  these 
State  reservations  would  be  free  to  develop  along 
the  lines  indicated  by  their  individual  talents  and 
propensities." 

"  Hear,  hear,"  shouted  the  Judge.  "  God  bless  my 
soul,  Gabe,  what  would  become  of  the  criminal  class  ? 
I'd  lose  my  position,  I'm  afraid." 

"  You  have  hit  it,  Judge,"  returned  Gabe.  "  My 
proposed  system  would  be  an  extension  of  the  public- 
school  system,  to  take  in  the  thousands  of  children 
now  left  on  the  outskirts  of  our  civilization  as  a 
menace,  and  would  train  them  to  become  hardy, 
brawny,  robust  men  and  women,  instead  of  criminals 
diseased  in  mind  and  body.  Of  course  some  few 
would  turn  out  badly  in  spite  of  any  care,  but  I 
speak  for  the  vast  majority  who  have  never  had  a 
chance." 

"  But  would  you  separate  the  child  from  its  par- 
ents, Captain  Gabe  ? "  asked  Homer,  deeply  inter- 
ested. 

"No,"  answered  Gabe  stoutly.  "There  is  al- 
ready a  plan  on  foot,  to  keep  the  dependent  mother  in 
her  home,  and  supply  her  with  enough  to  support  her 
children  until  they  are  old  enough  to  support  them- 
selves. But  that  home  is  often  poor  and  unsanitary, 
in  a  vicious  neighborhood,  or  an  unwholesome  atmos- 
phere. The  dependent  mother  should  be  allowed  a 
place  on  the  reservation,  to  assist  in  bringing  up  her 
children,  and  to  have  a  part  in  their  work  and  recrea- 


342     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

tion.  Herself  thus  taught,  would  have  a  better 
chance  later  on,  when  her  sons  and  daughters  are 
equipped  to  make  their  own  ways  in  the  world.  The 
entire  scheme,  carried  out  in  its  fullest  and  most  thor- 
ough detail,  would  cost  the  country  less  than  the  or- 
phan asylums,  the  almshouses,  and  the  jails  to-day, 
while  such  schools  can  eventually  become  entirely  self- 
supporting.  The  military  advantages  are  too  ob- 
vious to  mention.  You  all  know  the  intense  patri- 
otism of  a  West  Pointer,  or  an  Annapolis  man. 
Many  of  these  boys,  otherwise  mere  pariahs,  would 
develop  into  soldiers,  and  the  entire  school  would 
foster  a  pride  and  feeling  of  national  unity  that  would 
be  a  tremendous  asset  in  case  of  war.  To  the  intelli- 
gent parenthood  of  the  State,  her  children  would  re- 
spond passionately." 

"  This  is  all  very  well,"  observed  Homer,  "  for 
those  children  too  young  to  work  and  those  others  too 
ill  or  crippled.  But  what  of  the  tens  of  thousands 
of  boys  and  girls  who  swarm  about  our  great  fac- 
tories, who  have  both  father  and  mother,  and  yet  no 
adequate  home  or  education  ?  " 

"  You  forget  that  our  state-mothered  children  are 
to  be  taught  trades,"  said  Gabe.  "  How  better  could 
they  learn  them  than  by  exchanging  places  with  such 
children  for  a  month  or  so  at  a  time  ?  There  are  a 
thousand  ways  in  which  the  wards  of  the  State  could 
be  made  agencies  for  good.  There  are  a  thousand 
ways  they  could  be  turned  to  account  during  their 


THE    SHELLEY S    OF    GEORGIA     343 

growth  to  helpful  manhood  and  womanhood.  I  can- 
not go  into  every  detail  now.  Many  of  your  ques- 
tions will  answer  themselves  after  a  little  thought. 
I  will  only  add  that  this  is  the  kind  of  work 
that  Jesus  Christ  himself  might  inaugurate  were  he 
living  in  the  American  republic  to-day.  His  won- 
derful text,  '  Suffer  little  children  to  come  unto  Me, 
and  forbid  them  not,  for  of  such  is  the  Kingdom  of 
Heaven,'  hangs  in  every  room  of  my  State  Home 
yonder.  It  is  the  kind  of  work  of  which  Abraham 
Lincoln  would  approve,  and  perhaps  he  would  urge 
for  it  as  a  motto,  his  slogan,  '  Free  the  slave.'  So 
firmly  am  I  convinced  of  this  that,  in  the  best  way  I 
could  command,  I  have  started  this  Conservation 
School  for  Georgia.  As  soon  as  it  becomes  self-sup- 
porting and  has  proved  itself,  I  shall  turn  it  over  to 
the  State  —  if  the  State  will  accept  my  gift.  Rose, 
what  do  you  think  of  it  all  ?  Do  you  approve  ?  Will 
you  help  Madge  and  me  to  develop  this  scheme,  and 
gather  from  the  cities  and  towns  the  little  waifs  and 
strays  who  must  form  our  first  material  ? " 

Eose  did  not  answer  at  once,  and  the  eyes  of  all 
turned  upon  her,  a  fact  of  which  she  was  quite  un- 
conscious. Homer  thought  that  he  had  never  seen 
anything  so  lovely  as  the  slender  girl,  in  her  khaki 
riding  clothes,  standing  a  little  apart  and  looking  at 
the  long,  low  house  through  the  trees.  She  was  ab- 
sorbed in  a  dream  that  partook  of  the  nature  of  a 
vision,  as  was  evidenced  by  her  glowing  cheeks,  her 


344     THE   SHELLEY S   OF    GEORGIA 

rapt  eyes,  dewy  lips,  and  the  quick  rise  and  fall  of 
her  bosom. 

"  Father,"  she  said  at  last  in  thrilling  tones,  "  it 
is  more  wonderful  than  anything  I  had  imagined  pos- 
sible. How  did  you  come  to  think  of  it  ? " 

"  First  Madge,  with  her  sorrow  over  our  baby, 
stirred  me  into  yearning  over  all  children,"  said 
Captain  Gabe  simply.  "  Then  little  Tom,  so  help- 
less and  dependent,  bound  to  go  under  if  circum- 
stances had  not  placed  him  in  our  hands  —  little  Tom 
roused  Madge  to  more  active  and  insistent  longing. 
Aunt  Betty's  legacy  came  opportunely.  She  wanted 
to  use  it  to  benefit  the  uncared  for  and  abandoned 
children  of  humanity  —  there  were  so  many  of  them 
and  she  could  not  bear  to  sit  idly  by  when  they  needed 
everything.  Between  the  two  of  us  we  worked  out 
this  plan.  To  her  principal  I  added  all  I  could,  and 
set  to  work  to  realize  our  dreams.  Perhaps  I  should 
have  included  you  in  this  preliminary  planning, 
Rose,  but  you  were  in  Cuba  when  first  we  hit  upon 
the  idea,  and  so  I  made  Madge  promise  to  help  me 
to  surprise  you." 

"  It  was  a  glorious  surprise,"  exclaimed  Rose,  run- 
ning to  her  father  and  standing  on  tiptoe  to  put  her 
arms  around  his  neck.  "  It  was  the  best  one  I  have 
ever  had.  I  cannot  tell  you  how  I  am  stirred,  ex- 
alted, touched  to  the  heart  by  the  whole  grand  idea, 
and  by  your  development  of  it.  I  should  be  deeply 
hurt  indeed  if  I  were  not  allowed  to  help  you  now." 


THE    SHELLEYS    OF   GEORGIA      345 

She  emphasized  her  words  by  a  warm  kiss  which 
Gabe  heartily  returned. 

And  then  the  impetuous  girl,  quite  carried  away 
by  her  emotion,  turned  to  Madge.  "  You  world- 
mother  !  "  she  said  softly.  "  I've  not  always  been 
quite  fair  to  you,  dear  Madge.  Forgive  me.  I 
know  now  how  noble  your  heart  is,  and  how  faithful 
and  loyal.  I'll  never  judge  you  again,  never  distrust 
you,  never  fail  you.  Oh,  Madge!  How  perfectly 
splendid  to  be  able  to  help  the  children  in  such  a  way 
as  this !  How  like  you  to  have  thought  of  it !  How 
could  I  have  missed  seeing  the  real  you  all  this  time ! 
Forgive  me  and  love  me,  Madge !  Forgive  me !  " 

Madge  put  her  arms  about  the  girl  and  drew  her 
close,  while  Rose  wept  happy  tears  upon  her  breast. 
"  My  dear  girl,  I  have  nothing  to  forgive.  I  am  the 
happiest  woman  in  the  world  to-day.  You  know 
now  that  I  love  your  father." 

"Yes,  yes,  I  know,"  sobbed  Eose.  "For  some 
reason  I  have  known  lately,  anyway." 

And  then  with  one  of  those  sudden  unexpected 
transitions  which  made  her  so  delightful,  she  lifted 
up  her  face  and  smiled  radiantly  through  her  tears. 
"  What  are  we  standing  here  for  ? "  she  asked. 
"  Show  us  the  house,  Father,  and  the  rest  of  the  chil- 
dren, and  the  people  who  look  after  everything. 
Where  is  Mrs.  Gray  ?  " 

"  Mrs.  Gray  is  learning  how  to  be  the  housekeeper, 
under  the  tutelage  of  an  expert  who  will  return  to 


346     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

Atlanta  as  soon  as  she  is  no  longer  needed.  It  is 
quite  wonderful  how  she  has  taken  hold.  She  is  nat- 
urally apt,  like  Minnie  here." 

"  And  she  is  as  grateful  as  I  am,  for  all  you  have 
done  for  us,"  interposed  Minnie  gently. 

"  God  bless  my  soul,"  snorted  the  Judge.  "  Don't 
you  go  to  getting  grateful,  Minnie,  or  Gabe  won't  like 
it.  He  knows  well  enough,  the  rascal,  that  he 
couldn't  show  off  his  generosity  except  the  world  had 
lots  of  destitution  in  it.  What  will  future  philan- 
thropists do,  I'd  like  to  know,  if  Gabe  eliminates  the 
flotsam  and  the  jetsam  of  society  by  his  schemes  ? 
Have  a  little  mercy,  Gabe.  There  are  others  who  like 
to  work  over  poverty-stricken  humanity  as  well  as 
you  do.  Give  'em  a  chance,  Gabe,  give  'em  a 
chance." 

Gabe  smiled  contentedly,  for  he  had  seen  the  tears 
in  the  Judge's  eyes  and  knew  his  heart.  "  Judge," 
he  said  earnestly.  "  If  the  time  ever  comes  when 
there  will  be  no  privileged  class,  but  one  class,  with 
equal  opportunities,  equal  rights,  and  equal  chance  to 
exercise  both,  I'll  be  the  first  to  stay  at  home  and 
enjoy  myself.  Besides  you  know  I  never  give  some- 
thing for  nothing.  Even  in  this  conservation  school 
I  expect  to  gain  a  lot  more  than  I  ever  pay  out.  Not 
in  money,  perhaps  —  but  —  well,  let's  continue  our 
investigations." 

He  led  them  through  the  field  and  woods  to  the 
school  itself,  still  so  new  that  it  smelt  of  paint  and 


THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA     34,7 

turpentine.  And  he  was  in  his  element  explaining 
the  careful  working  out  of  his  scheme.  The  house- 
keeping was  as  thorough  and  efficient  as  expert  help 
could  make  it.  The  school-rooms  were  under  teachers 
whose  kindly  faces  inspired  confidence.  The  chil- 
dren were  being  sent  out  by  the  Associated  Charities 
in  the  cities,  and  already  workmen  were  busy  knock- 
ing up  rows  of  tiny  cottages,  for  mothers  who  wished 
to  continue  guardians  of  their  own  broods.  The 
stables  were  well  stocked  with  gentle-eyed  milch  cows, 
and  the  new  calf  with  the  wobbly  legs  eyed  them  dis- 
trustfully from  beneath  his  anxious  mother.  The 
Plymouth  Kocks  were  cackling  in  the  coops,  the  sheep 
were  grazing  on  a  pasture  near  at  hand,  and  alto- 
gether the  entire  scene  was  typical  of  a  well-to-do  and 
thriving  country  home.  The  possibilities,  as  Gabe 
had  said,  were  manifold,  and  increased  at  every  turn. 

"  Rules  ?  "  said  Gabe  contemptuously.  "  We  don't 
have  'em,  except  for  the  grown  folks.  The  children 
learn  without  knowing  that  they  are  being  taught. 
They  are  so  happy  it  is  punishment  enough  for  any 
misdemeanor,  to  deprive  the  culprit  of  his  share  in 
the  work  and  play.  Children  are  naturally  the 
busiest  folk  in  the  world,  and  here  we  encourage 
them  to  do  what  they  like  to  do.  Ben  Tolman,  show 
the  ladies  what  you  are  at  work  upon  3  " 

Gabe  knew  all  the  names  of  the  children  already, 
tc  their  great  delight.  And  this  remark  had  been 
addressed  to  a  little  ten-year-old,  seated  on  the  edge 


348     THE   SHELLEY S   OF   GEORGIA 

of  the  big  veranda,  whom  Gabe  discovered  as  he  led 
his  party  around  the  house  and  up  to  the  wicker 
chairs  upon  this  porch.  The  child  had  a  lump  of  red 
clay  over  which  he  was  quite  absorbed.  He  lifted  a 
flushed  face,  and,  forgetting  to  be  self-conscious  or 
shy,  he  cried  out,  "  See,  Cap'n  Gabe !  This  here  is 
the  funniest  stuif.  The  gutter-mud  in  Cabbage  Alley 
wasn't  nawthin'  like  it  a-tall.  That  there  was  black 
an'  sticky.  But  this  is  kinder  waxy-like,  so  when 
you  punch  a  hole  inter  it,  it  stays.  I'm  a-makin'  a 
hoss,  a  real,  fire-engine  hoss.  Ain't  it  a  beaut  ?  " 

Strangely  enough,  by  careful  scrutiny,  they  were 
able  to  discern  which  was  the  head  and  which  the  tail. 
"  Them  bendin'  marks  is  the  legs,  which  is  a-goin' 
lickety-split,"  explained  Ben  proudly.  "Ain't  I  a- 
gittin'  along  fine,  though  ?  " 

"  He  works  in  that  clay  all  day  long,"  whispered 
Gabe  as  they  left  the  child.  "  He  is  simply  crazy 
over  it.  Garnet,  the  superintendent,  told  him  that, 
if  he  really  wanted  to  be  able  to  make  animals  and 
people  out  of  clay,  he  must  learn  arithmetic,  so  as 
to  judge  dimensions,  and  anatomy,  so  as  to  know  the 
shape  of  the  bones  and  muscles  under  the  skin,  and 
geography,  that  he  might  seek  out  the  natural  habitats 
of  the  beasts  he  meant  to  copy.  You  ought  to  see 
the  child  study.  He  is  working  for  a  purpose  now, 
and  he  is  going  ahead  like  mad,  though  in  the  school 
at  home  he  was  considered  a  very  backward  child  — 
almost  deficient.  So  it  is  with  all  the  rest.  Leave 


THE    SHELLEY S   OF   GEORGIA     349 

'em  free  to  choose,  and  they  gravitate  to  their  own 
particular  line  of  best  development,  as  naturally  as  a 
rabbit  to  its  warren." 

Through  all  her  enthusiasm  and  delight,  Kose  did 
not  forget  that  Tom  was  coming,  and  when  an  hour 
had  elapsed,  she  whispered  to  Minnie  that  there 
would  probably  be  some  one  to  meet  her  outside  the 
gates.  Minnie  did  not  need  to  be  told  who  that  some 
one  was.  Her  face  glowed,  her  eyes  looked  fright- 
ened, and  then  oddly  determined,  and  she  slipped 
hurriedly  away. 


CHAPTER  XXIV, 

IN"  the  meantime  Tom's  spirited  horse  settled 
down  to  the  steady  climb  up  the  long  hill,  shak- 
ing his  head  and  switching  his  tail  about  it,  for 
it  was  a  task  decidedly  not  to  his  liking.  Tom  paid 
small  attention  to  the  handsome  animal's  disinclina- 
tion, however,  for  he  was  immersed  in  thought,  and 
though  still  bent  upon  fulfilling  the  object  of  his 
journey,  he  was  more  and  more  tempted  to  lag  upon 
the  way. 

He  was  aware  that  Gabe  was  building  some  sort  of 
;a  hotel  in  the  hills  somewhere,  and  now  saw  the  deep 
ruts  made  by  the  teams  which  had  hauled  cement 
and  bricks.  He  began  to  wonder  if  it  was  Minnie's 
land  which  had  served  Gabe's  purpose,  and  was  in  a 
measure  prepared  for  the  change  in  the  entire  land- 
scape which  greeted  him  on  his  emergence  from  the 
tree-screened  mountain  road. 

He  saw  the  high  fence  in  its  pristine  newness,  and 
the  children  happily  at  play  beyond.  He  read  the 
gilded  name,  "  Suncrest,"  in  the  iron  scrollwork  of 
the  arch  above  the  gate.  He  glimpsed  the  brick 
building  through  the  trees.  But  in  the  foreground 
350 


THE    SHELLEYS   OF    GEORGIA     351 

and  most  prominent  to  his  reluctant  vision,  stood  the 
house  which  was  his  destination. 

As  he  looked  disgust  overwhelmed  him.  It  was  so 
poor,  so  mean,  so  altogether  undesirable.  Con- 
trasted with  the  beauty  of  Suncrest,  it  shrank  into 
an  abject,  shiftless  poverty  far  beyond  what  even  he 
remembered.  With  its  sagging  doorstep,  its  unkempt 
garden,  its  chickens  and  shoats,  it  seemed  typical  of 
the  down-at-heel  Minnie,  whose  commonness  aug- 
mented each  time  he  thought  of  her.  He  was  blind 
to  every  virtue,  of  which  there  had  been  many  in  the 
untaught  girl.  But  his  eyes  were  wide  open  to  faults 
which  she  had  never  possessed.  Classing  her  as 
wholly  despicable,  he  experienced  actual  physical  re- 
vulsion and  nausea  at  this  final  moment.  How  could 
he  face  the  reality  of  a  memory  that  had  grown  to  be 
so  loathesome? 

He  saw  the  horses  and  the  carryall,  and  judged  that 
the  Shelley  family  were  in  the  spacious  grounds  some- 
where beyond.  He  told  himself  grimly  that  this 
suited  him  exactly.  He  wanted  no  witnesses  to  his 
first  scene  with  Minnie  Gray.  He  stopped  his  horse 
at  the  edge  of  the  clearing,  and,  alighting  and  leav- 
ing the  tired  animal  to  graze  at  its  will,  he  walked 
slowly  toward  the  dingy  front  door. 

And  then  he  paused.  Why  need  he  hurry  mat- 
ters ?  Why  shouldn't  he  have  a  moment's  respite,  a 
glimpse  again  of  Eose  ?  She  was  Minnie's  champion 
it  was  true,  but  she  was  also  Mrs.  Kemp's  friend. 


352     THE   SHELLEYS    OF   GEORGIA 

She  would  instill  new  courage  in  him,  and  make  his 
hard  task  less  distasteful. 

While  he  hesitated  the  voice  of  Judge  Oglethorpe 
sounded  almost  in  his  ear. 

"  God  bless  my  soul,  Tom  Blankenship !  You 
haven't  let  the  grass  grow  under  your  feet,  have  you, 
Tom?" 

Tom  whirled  about  "  Hello,  Judge.  No.  Why 
should  I  ?  Where  did  you  spring  from,  anyway  ?  " 

"  I'd  just  walked  down  to  see  if  the  horses  were  all 
right.  You  were  so  busy  looking  at  everything  else, 
you  never  saw  me.  Good  luck  to  you,  Tom."  He 
held  out  a  plump  hand. 

Tom  shook  his  head  sadly.  "  I've  lost  my  nerve," 
he  confessed.  tf  I'm  not  going  in  there  just  yet.  I 
want  to  see  Rose  first  What  is  this  Gabe  has  built, 
Judge?" 

He  fell  in  beside  the  old  man  and  they  walked  to- 
gether through  the  gate  and  towards  the  school,  talk- 
ing on  the  way.  The  Judge  explained  the  purpose  of 
Suncrest,  and  the  presence  of  the  children  there. 
Tom  looked  about  with  new  appreciation.  After  all, 
he  thought,  Gabe  had  some  right  to  his  authoritative 
stand.  He  wasn't  just  an  idle  theorizer.  He  was 
really  accomplishing  something  for  children,  many  of 
whom  were  probably  nameless,  as  was  little  Tom  just 
now.  In  his  mind's  eye  he  saw  his  small  son  grown 
older,  and  playing  with  the  rest,  and  to  his  own  great 
surprise  a  sob  welled  in  his  throat.  For  the  first 


THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA     353 

time  lie  realized  the  justice  of  the  child's  side  of  the 
case,  and  the  pathos  of  it  as  well.  And  he  turned 
and  interrupted  the  Judge  in  the  midst  of  a  sounding 
homily  on  the  merits  of  Suncrest  and  its  future  de- 
velopment. 

"  Judge,"  he  said  abruptly.  "  I  take  it  you  are 
fully  informed  of  my  fix  respecting  this  Gray  girl  ?  " 

"  Yes."  Judicial  sternness  predominated  in  the 
syllable. 

"  Has  Minnie  sought  your  legal  advice,  perhaps  ?  " 

"  Not  that  I  know  of  — " 

"  Well,  Judge,  as  the  old-time  legal  adviser  of  my 
father,  and  on  a  suitable  retainer  from  me  —  I  want 
to  ask  you  just  what  the  legal  standing  of  that  girl 
is  concerning  me  ?  " 

Judge  Oglethorpe  thought  a  moment  and  then 
spoke  slowly.  "  Well,  Tom,  first  she  has  good  cause 
for  action  against  you,  as  the  father  of  the  child,  un- 
less you  can  prove,  as  I  hear  you  claim,  that  she  had 
other  lovers  prior  to  the  child's  birth." 

Tom  made  a  gesture  of  disgust.  "  Judge,  I  lied 
about  that.  I  think  the  girl  absolutely  innocent. 
What  else?" 

"  Well  then,  Tom,  she  can  sue  you  for  support  in 
any  case,  and  can  maintain  an  action  under  the  com- 
mon law  to  force  you  to  give  her  your  name,  and  to 
legitimatize  her  child.  Her  mother  heard  you  prom- 
ise to  marry  her,  I  believe  ?  " 

"  I  know  it  and  I  admit  it,"  said  Tom,  now  past 


354     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

evasion.  "  Judge  Oglethorpe,  liere  is  the  point. 
I've  made  up  my  mind  to  marry  the  girl  and  do  my 
duty  by  her.  This  is  voluntary.  She  has  made  no 
threats  to  coerce  me  that  I  know  of.  I  want  you  to 
marry  us  here,  to-day,  and  I  want  to  have  the  mar- 
riage certificate  and  record  dated  back  to  October 
eleventh,  eighteen  hundred  and  ninety-six.  I  now 
claim  that  we  were  really  married  in  all  that  concerns 
the  fate  of  ourselves  and  our  child  —  in  all  that  con- 
cerns the  law  or  society  —  on  the  day  I  first  took  her 
in  my  arms.  Can  this  be  done  ?  " 

"  It  can  be  done,  and  shall  be.  The  law  has  a 
spirit,  Tom,  as  well  as  a  letter,  and  as  I  interpret  it, 
its  mission  always  is  to  help  a  man  do  his  duty,  and 
to  hinder  him  from  committing  a  wrong.  The  date 
is  an  affair  of  the  contracting  parties,  so  long  as  no 
fraud  or  deceit  is  contemplated  which  might  interfere 
with  the  property  or  other  rights  of  any  other  person. 
As  no  such  question  is  involved  in  this  case,  and  as 
you  propose  to  set  back  the  date  for  Minnie's  protec- 
tion and  benefit,  I  can  and  will  do  it  with  a  clear 
conscience." 

Tom  turned  and  grasped  the  Judge's  hand  in  a 
hearty  grip.  "  I  am  glad  I  yielded  to  the  impulse  to 
speak  to  you  like  this,"  he  said.  "  You  have  helped 
me  in  the  worst  crisis  of  my  life.  I  can  recover 
ground  in  the  eyes  of  Eose  and  Madge  —  and  of 
Mrs.  Kemp  —  only  by  doing  my  full  duty  towards 


THE   SHELLEYS    OF   GEORGIA     355 

this  girl  and  her  child.  I  mean  to  take  Minnie  to  my 
relatives  in  England,  and  put  her  in  a  good  school.  I 
will  teach  her  myself  also,  and  before  long  I  am  sure 
she  will  be  outwardly  my  equal,  as  she  is  already  my 
superior  —  for  I  betrayed  her  trust  in  me  so  I  am 
guilty  —  she  is  innocent." 

"  God  bless  my  soul ! "  groaned  the  Judge. 
"What  a  long,  long  road  our  pet  scapegrace  has 
traveled,  to  be  able  to  talk  like  this !  "  And  then 
with  a  sudden  change  of  tone,  "  I  congratulate  you, 
my  boy.  A  man  who  can  take  the  stand  you  have 
taken  is  an  honor  to  his  name  and  a  credit  to  human 
nature.  I  am  proud  that  it  falls  to  my  lot  to  help 
you." 

He  returned  Tom's  hearty  grip  with  one  as  hearty, 
blew  his  nose  like  a  trumpet,  and  preceded  Tom  up 
the  steps  of  Suncrest. 

The  Shelleys,  with  Homer  Fort,  had  been  sitting 
at  the  end  of  the  porch,  talking  to  some  of  the  chil- 
dren, and  drawing  Gabe  out  still  further  about  his 
schemes,  which  were  apparently  limitless.  They  wel- 
comed Tom  as  one  of  themselves,  making  room  for 
him  and  for  the  Judge,  while  Gabe  went  on  with 
what  he  had  been  saying.  In  Homer  he  had  found 
an  unexpected  and  eminently  satisfactory  interest, 
and  it  was  to  Homer  that  his  talk  was  now  chiefly 
addressed.  Fort  had  numberless  questions  as  to  how 
the  place  was  to  be  made  self-supporting,  and  its  ulti- 


356     THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

mate  good  to  the  race,  but  so  thoroughly  had  Gabe 
gone  into  the  subject  that  not  one  question  caught  him 
napping. 

At  last  Tom  rose.  "  Captain  Gabe,  I  thank  you 
from  the  bottom  of  my  heart  for  letting  me  listen  to 
what  you  have  just  said.  It  has  done  me  good,  and 
brought  me  peace  of  mind.  I  shall  want  to  help  in 
any  way  I  can,  when  I  return  —  again." 

"  Tom,  that  is  good  news,"  said  Gabe,  touched  to 
the  heart  by  the  spontaneity  with  which  his  plans  had 
so  far  been  met.  "  And  now  where  are  you  starting 
out  to  go  ?  " 

"To  Minnie,"  answered  Tom  manfully.  "May 
Eose  go  a  little  way  with  me  ?  I'd  like  to  speak  to 
her  alone  — " 

Eose  came  forward  at  once,  and  walked  with  him 
toward  the  gate  through  which  he  had  so  recently 
come. 

"  I  meant  to  have  it  out  with  her  at  first,  but  I  lost 
my  nerve,"  confessed  Tom  in  much  the  same  way 
that  he  had  done  to  the  Judge.  "  Give  me  a  word  of 
encouragement,  Eose  ? " 

"I  will  do  better  than  that,"  answered  Eose 
warmly.  "  I  will  go  with  you  to  the  house,  and  help 
you  through  that  first,  worst  moment.  I  know  how 
it  is,  Tom.  I  can  even  feel  what  you  are  feeling." 

"  Oh,  no,  you  can't.  You  never  could  unless  — 
Eose,  you  are  wise  beyond  your  years,  but  though  we 
both  thought  you  loved  me,  you  never  did.  When 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     357 

the  time  comes,  and  you  fall  in  love,  then  you  will  be 
able  to  comprehend  all  I  am  renouncing  to-day,  and 
will  understand." 

"  But  I  do  understand.     Believe  me,  Tom,  I  do.5" 
"  If  you  do,  you  are  in  love.     Who  is  he  ?  " 
She  colored  hotly.     "  Why  do  you  insist  that  one 
must  feel  love  to  know  love  ?  "  she  asked.     "  Haven't 
I  seen  my  father  with  Madge  ?     Haven't  I  seen  my 
girl  friends  married  and  happy  ?     Haven't  I  —  had 
love  —  proffered  me  ?  " 

"  It  isn't  the  same."  Tom  was  obstinate.  "  I  tell 
you  no  one  knows  what  love  is  unless  they  actually 
experience  it.  I  thought  I  knew,  but  I  didn't.  I 
was  just  a  blind  fool,  Eose,  and  even  under  the  spell 
itself,  was  slow  to  realize  its  meaning.  That  must 
be  how  it  is  with  you.  You  are  in  love  and  do  not 
know  it.  Or  else  you  could  not  be  so  sure  of  what 
lies  in  my  heart." 

"  Nonsense,"  interrupted  Eose,  brusquely.  "  I 
will  never  let  myself  fall  in  love,  Tom,  until  I  meet  a 
man  who  fills  my  highest  ideal  — " 

"Nonsense,"  interrupted  Tom  in  his  turn. 
"  You'll  fall  in  love  with  the  man  meant  for  you,  ideal 
or  no  ideal.  If  he  is  weak,  you'll  try  to  help  him. 
If  he  is  bad,  you'll  try  to  make  him  good.  But  you'll 
love  him  all  the  same,  good  or  bad,  weak  or  poor  — 
because  you  cannot  help  it.  Take  that  red-headed 
peach-buyer,  for  example.  I  suppose  there  is  no  per- 
son farther  from  your  ideal  than  he.  Yet  if  it  had 


358     THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

been  decreed  that  you  should  love  him,  you'd  overlook 
everything  unsavory  about  him  — " 

"  I  fail  to  see  why  you  should  take  it  for  granted 
that  there  is  anything  '  unsavory '  about  Mr.  Fort," 
said  Eose  cuttingly.  "  You  forget  his  help  to  you  in 
Cuba." 

"  I  forget  nothing.  I  am  grateful  to  him  beyond 
words.  But  that  does  not  hinder  me  from  taking 
him  at  his  real  value.  What  is  he,  anyway?  An 
upstart !  A  nobody !  A  '  man-on-the-road ! '  We 
all  know  what  lives  such  men  lead,  as  a  matter  of 
course." 

"  I  will  not  listen  to  such  talk,"  cried  Rose  indig- 
nantly. "  Mr.  Fort  is  my  friend.  He  is  a  gentle- 
man. You  are  cowardly,  Tom,  to  say  such  things 
about  him.  You  would  not  dare  say  them  to  his 
face." 

"  Wouldn't  I  ?  My  dear  Eose,  what  do  men  talk 
about  when  they  are  alone  ?  He'd  be  the  'first  to  in- 
troduce the  subject  of  his  numerous  affairs.  But  I 
didn't  mean  to  enter  into  a  discussion  of  his  merits  or 
demerits.  I  merely  used  him  as  an  example  of  the 
realities  which  women  love.  Their  ideals  are  all 
very  well,  but  in  real  life  they  are  much  more  apt  to 
meet  men  like  Homer  Fort,  and  love  them,  too." 

"  And  I  say  you  had  no  right  to  bring  him  into  the 
discussion  at  all,"  insisted  Eose  stonnily,  with  flash- 
ing eyes.  "  I  must  ask  you  to  take  back  what  you 
have  just  said  about  him.  My  father  does  not  choose 


THE   SHELLS  YS   OF    GEORGIA     359 

his  friends  at  tap-hazard.  Besides  I  have  Mr.  Fort's 
own  declaration  —  which  I  firmly  believe  —  as  to  the 
sort  of  life  he  has  lived." 

"  So  he  has  been  telling  you  about  his  past  ? " 
sneered  Tom,  returning  for  a  moment  to  his  old  domi- 
neering self.  "  And  you  believed  all  that  he  told  you 

—  when  not  for  a  moment  would  you  believe  all  I  told 
you  —    Why,  Rose,  you  love  that  man  already." 

"  I  do  not." 

"  You  do.  You  may  not  know  it,  but  you  do. 
Well,  Rose,  I'll  apologize  most  humbly  for  my  state- 
ments. I  am  not  prone  to  believe  in  faultless  pasts 

—  I  know  men  too  well  for  that  —  but  I'd  be  the  last 
one  to  disturb  your  faith  in  him  —  if  you  really  love 
him." 

"  I  tell  you  I  do  not.  I  am  sorry  I  came  with  you, 
Tom." 

Her  cheeks  were  rosy,  and  her  eyes  confused.  She 
tried  to  look  defiantly  at  Tom,  but  wavered.  Why 
had  her  heart  throbbed  so  when  she  defended  Fort  ? 
Why  had  she  felt  such  deep  resentment  when  Tom 
spoke  lightly  of  him  ?  She  did  not  know.  But  Tom 
thought  he  knew,  and  as  he  smiled  it  seemed  to  her 
almost  as  if  he  did.  However,  that  was  just  because 
he  was  so  certain. 

They  passed  out  of  the  big  gate  together  and  over 
to  the  dingy  house.  As  they  neared  the  porch  Tom 
perceived  that  a  huge  clothes-basket  occupied  almost 
half  of  its  narrow  space.  Within  lay  a  baby  asleep 


360     THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

—  his  baby,  no  doubt.  Side  by  side,  he  and  Kose 
looked  down  upon  the  unconscious  child. 

"  Li'l  Tawm,"  now  almost  sixteen  months  old,  lay 
sprawled  on  a  pillow,  one  fat  arm  flung  above  his 
head,  the  other  stretched  out  beside  him  as  far  as  the 
confines  of  the  basket  would  permit.  He  had  been 
bathed  before  his  nap,  and  was  fully  dressed  except 
for  bare  rosy  feet,  which  had  kicked  aside  the  cover- 
lets and  short  white  frock.  He  was  a  handsome 
baby,  pink-cheeked  and  robust,  with  a  quantity  of 
dark  curls  clinging  close  to  his  shapely  head.  In 
spite  of  himself  Tom's  heart  lightened  just  a  little  at 
the  thought  that  this  was  his  son,  sturdy  and  dimpled, 
with  deep  chest  and  broad  shoulders  like  his  own. 
Stooping,  he  lifted  one  rounded  limb,  and  saw  the 
birthmark  clearly  outlined  there  —  the  mark  of  a 
true  Blankenship.  Come,  it  was  something  to  be 
father  to  such  a  boy.  And  the  child  was  sweet  and 
clean  and  healthy,  which  spoke  well  for  Minnie's  care. 
Already  Tom's  repulsion  lessened,  and  he  perceived 
the  baby  to  be  a  rift  among  his  clouds. 

Infants  are  nervous,  even  the  calmest  of  them, 
and  "  li'l  Tawm  "  stirred  under  the  eager  gaze  of  the 
man.  His  brown  eyes  opened  sleepily,  and  rested  on 
Tom  with  that  first  blank  stare  which  follows  on 
sound  sleep.  So  for  a  space  the  child  and  the  man 
looked  gravely  at  one  another.  Then  a  smile  dimpled 
the  baby  face,  and  "  li'l  Tawm  "  yawned,  stretched, 
and  held  up  confiding  arms. 


THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA     361 

Tom  lifted  him  and  hugged  him  to  his  breast. 

"He's  a  fine  boy,  isn't  he?"  he  asked  of  Rose. 

"Li'l  Tawm"  yawned  and  stretched  and  rubbed 
his  eyes.  "  Da-da,"  he  announced. 

"  By  George,  he  knows  me !  "  exclaimed  Tom  de- 
lightedly, not  being  versed  in  the  ways  of  babies,  and 
supposing  this  an  attempt  at  intelligible  speech. 
"  Have  you  got  a  kiss  for  your  daddy,  eh  ?  " 

The  baby  only  yawned  again  and  said  "  Da-da  " 
plaintively,  for  he  was  hungry.  At  least  he  supposed 
he  was  hungry,  as  he  was  always  fed  promptly  upon 
awakening,  and  did  not  know  that  he  should  have 
slept  an  hour  longer.  "Da-da"  he  wailed,  and 
punched  a  fat  fist  in  Tom's  eye. 

"  Oh,  is  he  awake  ? "  cried  a  voice  from  the  open 
door. 

Tom  jumped,  and  turned,  for  it  was  a  voice  he 
knew.  Yet  surely  it  was  not  possible  that  Mrs. 
Kemp  was  here  —  ah,  of  course  she  had  come  up 
with  Eose.  That  explained  it.  Tom  did  not  have 
time  to  feel  hurt  that  he  had  not  been  allowed  a 
glimpse  of  her  during  his  interview  with  the  Shelleys 
at  Salem  some  three  hours  ago.  He  was  too  happy  at 
seeing  her  now. 

She  was  bare-headed,  her  soft  fair  hair  tangled  by 
the  mountain  wind  into  an  aura  about  her  brow. 
Her  serious  brown  eyes  were  upraised  to  his.  Her 
sensitive  mouth  trembled  in  a  nervous  attempt  at  a 
smile. 


362     THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

"  How  do  you  do,  Mr.  Blankenship  ?  "  she  faltered. 
"  I  had  not  expected  to  see  you  again  —  so  soon." 

Transferring  the  baby  to  his  other  arm,  Tom  Held 
out  an  eager  hand.  "  By  Jove,  Mrs.  Kemp !  This 
is  more  happiness  than  I  had  hoped  for,"  he  ex- 
claimed, seizing  her  rosy  palm  in  a  warm  pressure. 
"  If  I  could  have  just  a  word  with  you  — "  He 
looked  helplessly  at  Rose. 

"  I'll  take  the  baby  to  Janey,"  said  Rose  readily. 
<f  Janey  is  his  nurse  now,  Tom.  She  adores  him. 
Minnie  will  lend  you  her  parlor  for  awhile  —  I  am 
sure  she  won't  object  to  this  final  meeting  with  your 
nurse,"  she  added  mischievously  as  she  bore  "  li'l 
Tawm  "  through  the  doorway  and  back  towards  the 
kitchen. 

With  a  slight  inclination  of  her  head,  which  Tom 
interpreted  to  mean  that  he  should  follow,  Mrs.  Kemp 
led  the  way  through  the  tiny  hall  into  the  front  room 
of  the  small  house.  There  she  turned  to  confront 
Tom,  and  found  him  staring  with  surprised  eyes  at 
the  transformed  room.  It  was  dark  still,  as  it  boasted 
but  one  window,  but  white  paint  and  creamy  paper 
had  worked  wonders,  while  the  pictures  and  simple 
furniture  were  of  a  kind  he  could  appreciate. 

"  You  and  Rose  have  been  at  work  here,"  he  said 
suddenly,  his  face  clearing.  '<  Perhaps  you  have 
been  at  work  on  Minnie,  too,  and  thus  prepared  her  a 
little  for  the  changes  I  mean  to  effect  in  her.  She 
may  be  hard  to  teach  —  these  mountaineers  are  such 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     363 

a  strange  mixture  of  superstition  and  obstinacy  — 
but  if  you  help  me  we'll  make  her  into  a  woman 
whom  little  Tom  will  yet  be  proud  to  call  his  mother. 
Mrs.  Kemp,  I  presume  you  know  why  I  am  here, 
don't  you  ? " 

"  I  can  guess." 

She  had  remained  standing,  probably  feeling  bet- 
ter able  to  face  him  when  firmly 'planted  on  her  feet, 
and  he,  placing  his  hands  upon  the  center  table, 
leaned  toward  her  above  its  polished  surface. 

"  I  came  to  offer  marriage  to  Minnie  Gray.  I  did 
not  know  that  I  should  find  you  here.  I  shall  be 
grateful  for  this  moment  all  my  life.  Have  you 
known  long  about  —  this  girl  ?  " 

"  I  have  known  —  all  along." 

"  And  that  the  baby  there  was  mine  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  knew  that,  too." 

"  Have  you  seen  Minnie^  " 

"  Often." 

"  And  you  still  have  the  heart  to  condemn  me  to 
her?" 

"  I  still  have  the  heart  to  do  —  even  that." 

The  monotony  of  her  repetition  showed  him  the 
strain  under  which  she  labored.  His  eyes  kindled. 
His  breath  came  sharply.  He  longed  to  hold  her  in 
his  arms  with  a  longing  that  could  scarcely  be  gain- 
said. He  was  starving  for  her  with  a  hunger  which 
clamored  to  be  appeased.  By  these  signs  he  read  her 
present  feeling  to  be  equal  to  his  own. 


364     THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

And  yet  he  must  command  himself  for  she  was  not 
for  him.  Once  again  a  wave  of  utter  bewilderment 
swept  over  him,  that  she  could  know  the  wonder  of 
this  love  and  still  renounce  it. 

"  Mrs.  Kemp,  I  won't  ask  you  to  reconsider  your 
decision,"  he  whispered  hoarsely.  "  I  will  hear  my 
punishment  as  best  I  can.  I  will  only  repeat  that  all 
my  life  you  will  be  my  guiding  star.  I  will  try  to 
make  myself  worthy  of  the  love  I  feel  for  you." 

"  You  must  forget  me,"  she  said  breathlessly,  as  if 
speaking  a  part  to  which  she  adhered  with  difficulty. 
"  Think  of  Minnie.  Try  to  care  for  her." 

"  I  will  be  tender  toward  her  —  and  loyal  —  but  I 
will  not  forget  you.  If  I  did,  I  should  sink  again  to 
that  level  at  which  you  found  me.  Only  by  remem- 
bering you  —  dwelling  on  you  —  picturing  you  to 
myself  at  every  turn,  and  loving  you  with  my  whole 
soul  —  can  I  keep  my  martyrdom  before  me  and  find 
it  worth  while.  Only  for  your  sake  can  I  compass 
it" 

"  You  are  wrong  to  speak  so."  She  tried  to  keep 
her  voice  from  trembling,  but  his  passion  swept  her 
on,  as  it  always  did  when  she  was  with  him.  And 
as  she  faltered  she  felt  his  hands  upon  her.  She  gave 
a  little  moan  of  sheer  terror  —  not  at  him,  but  at  her- 
self, for  she  had  nerved  herself  to  resolution  which 
slipped  from  her  at  his  touch.  But  he  misread  her 
exclamation. 

"Don't    be    afraid — "    he    whispered    tenderly. 


THE   SHELLEY S    OF    GEORGIA     365 

"  Don't  be  afraid.  I  shall  not  break  down  or  act  the 
fool.  I  have  control  over  myself  —  I  can  even  smile 
—  see  ?  But  you  know  how  I  adore  you  —  and  this 
may  be  the  last  time  that  we  shall  ever  meet.  Let 
me  just  take  you  in  my  arms  a  moment,  and  kiss  your 
lips  once  more  before  we  part.  My  darling  — " 

"  This  is  more  than  I  can  bear,"  exclaimed  the  girl 
in  an  agony,  wrenching  herself  free  and  facing  him 
again.  "  This  farce  has  continued  long  enough. 
Can't  you  see  ?  Can't  you  understand  ?  I  am  Min- 
nie Gray.  I  am  the  woman  you  have  wronged  — 
the  girl  you  scorn." 

He  stared  at  her  uncomprehendingly.  "  You  are 
Mrs.  Kemp,"  he  protested. 

"No!  !Not  that  —  again.  That  was  a  name  I 
hid  behind.  I  am  Minnie  Gray  —  who  spurns  you 
as  you  have  spurned  her." 

He  looked  so  strange  that  she  became  alarmed. 
The  watchful  attitude  of  the  nurse  returned  to  her. 
"  If  I  am  not  very  careful  he  may  lose  his  mind,"  she 
caught  herself  thinking. 

"  This  is  the  absolute  truth,"  she  said  aloud,  slowly 
and  clearly,  as  if  speaking  to  a  child.  "  Captain 
Gabe  took  me  to  his  home,  when  I  was  ill  and  worn 
out  with  suffering  and  shame.  Rose  taught  me  all  I 
know.  I  went  with  her  to  Cuba,  and  nursed  you 
there.  I  came  back  with  her.  I  lived  with  the  Shel- 
leys  all  the  time  except  the  days  I  spent  with  you, 
until  I  came  back  to  my  home  here.  I  am  Minnie 


366     THE   SHELLEY S    OF.    GEORGIA 

Gray,  the  mother  of  little  Tom.  Do  you  believe  me 
now?" 

Still  he  continued  gazing  at  her  with  uncompre- 
hending eyes. 

"Wait  just  a  moment,"  she  commanded  quickly. 
"  I  know  a  way  to  prove  it  to  you  — " 

She  ran  swiftly  from  the  room,  and  returned  in  a 
moment,  with  an  armful  of  gaudy  calico.  "  Don't 
you  remember  this  ?  "  she  asked.  "  It  was  my  Sun- 
day best  at  the  time  when  you  used  to  come  to  the 
hills  to  meet  me  secretly.  I'll  put  it  on,  so.  Button 
me  up  the  back,  Tom." 

While  his  fingers  bungled  awkwardly,  in  tune  to 
the  pounding  of  his  heart,  she  lifted  her  arms  and 
took  out  the  pins  which  confined  her  hair.  Straining 
it  back  she  wound  it  into  its  old-time  knot.  Then, 
slipping  on  a  yellow  sunbonnet,  she  faced  him. 

"  Naow,"  she  drawled.  "  I  reckon  you-all  air 
some  surprise'  ter  see  me,  ain't  you  ? " 

Her  tones  became  beseeching,  and  she  lifted  clasped 
hands  pleadingly. 

"  Ain't  you  gwine  ter  kiss  me,  ner  nawthin'  ? " 
she  asked  brokenly.  "  I  sure  do  like  ter  have  you  kiss 
me  —  seems  like  you  loved  me  still  —  which  some- 
haow  you  doan't  act  s'  if  you  do  noways  lately.  I 
feel  awful  sorry-like  an'  full  of  fear.  Doan't  fool 
me,  Mister  Tawm.  Ef  you  doan't  love  me  no  mo', 
say  so,  an'  I'll  go  away.  I  ain't  aimin'  ter  hang  atter 
a  man  what  doan't  love  me  no  longer." 


THE    SHELLEY S    OF    GEORGIA     367 

If  there  had  been  any  further  doubt  in  his  mind 
as  to  the  identity  of  the  girl  before  him,  it  must  have 
been  dispelled  forever  by  the  nasal  drawling  repeti- 
tion of  these,  the  last  words  he  had  ever  heard  from 
the  lips  of  Minnie  Gray.  He  remembered  now  that 
he  had  answered  with  a  taunt  that  he  had  never  loved 
her.  He  remembered  how  she  had  turned  sobbing, 
and  had  run  away  through  the  woods,  with  her  face 
hidden  in  her  hands  so  that  she  collided  with  the  trees 
and  once  fell  prone.  It  all  came  back  so  vividly  that 
he  recoiled  and  grew  white  to  the  very  lips,  while  the 
sweat  stood  out  in  great  drops  on  his  scarred  brow. 

"  My  God !  Take  off  that  awful  dress !  "  he  whis- 
pered. "  Let  down  your  hair  —  your  beautiful, 
beautiful  hair !  Don't  torture  me  like  this !  " 

In  a  twinkling  the  dress  lay  at  her  feet,  and  she 
was  pulling  her  hair  into  the  loose  knot  which  so  be- 
came her.  She  was  Mrs.  Kemp  once  more,  and  now 
he  needed  nothing  else  to  prove  that  she  and  Minnie 
were  the  same.  The  two  extremes  had  met. 

But  as  he  realized  this  potent  fact,  new  wonder 
dawned,  for  everything  became  clear  to  him.  In 
marrying  Minnie  he  would  make  Mrs.  Kemp  happy. 
How  well  he  remembered  that  speech,  and  his  in- 
terpretation of  it!  Blind  fool  that  he  had  been! 
He  had  made  no  allowance  for  the  girl's  native  wit. 
She  was  a  wonder !  What  mentality  must  have  been 
lying  dormant  in  that  childish  brain,  that  she  had 
been  able  to  remold  herself  like  this?  What  love 


368     THE   SHELLEY S   OF   GEORGIA 

she  must  have  borne  him,  to  spur  her  on  to  accom- 
plish this  miracle  of  change  ?  What  happiness  lay 
before  him  in  place  of  the  misery  he  had  pictured  ? 
What  joy  was  his  for  the  taking!  Was  it  possible 
that  this  lovely  woman  was  the  mother  of  his  boy  ? 

She  watched  him  with  troubled  eyes  as  he  passed 
from  realization  into  triumph.  She  shrank  back 
when  he  at  last  approached  her. 

"  Now  I  know  why  I  felt  that  I  had  kissed  you," 
he  laughed,  his  face  transfigured.  "  Now  I  know 
why  I  felt  that  I  had  held  you  in  my  arms  before. 
The  joy  of  it!  The  wonder  of  it!  Minnie!  My 
wife!  Come  to  me!  Kiss  me  again  as  you  used  to 
once !  Tell  me  you  love  me !  " 

Intoxicated  with  joy,  mad  with  desire,  he  snatched 
her  to  him,  and  kissed  her  hair,  her  eyes,  her  shrink- 
ing lips,  all  unaware  that  she  was  struggling  desper- 
ately against  him  —  was  evading,  enduring,  but  not 
yielding,  in  the  slightest. 

"  I  have  hungered  for  you,"  he  cried  between  his 
kisses.  "  I  have  longed  for  you  until  it  seemed  to 
me  that  I  would  die  only  for  a  touch  of  your  hand,  a 
smile,  a  glance  from  your  beautiful  eyes  — " 

"  Let  me  go !  "  she  managed  to  say  at  last.  "  Let 
me  go ! " 

"  Never !     You  are  all  mine !     I  love  you !  " 

"  Tom,  you  must  release  me !  There  is  that  I 
have  to  tell  you  which  will  — " 


THE   SHELLEY S    OF   GEORGIA      369 

"  There  is  nothing  more  to  say.  You  belong  to 
me." 

"  I'll  calif or  Kose— " 

"Rose  would  not  come.  Besides,  you  know  you 
love  me.  Kiss  me,  Minnie,  kiss  me.  Put  your  arms 
about  my  neck.  Why  don't  you  respond  to  my 
caresses  ? " 

He  was  waking  at  last  to  the  meaning  of  her  strug- 
gles. She  was  trying  to  escape  his  arms,  and  being 
sure  of  her  he  let  her  go,  for  the  mere  pleasure  of 
taking  her  again.  With  a  low  delirious  laugh  of 
utter  content,  he  watched  her  as,  still  panting  from 
the  force  of  his  embrace,  she  faced  him  once  again. 

And  then  he  read  the  purpose  in  her  eyes,  and  won- 
dering, he  waited.  He  had  no  doubt  that  she  be- 
longed to  him  absolutely.  But  something  troubled 
her  —  lay  still  between  them.  Very  well !  She  had 
only  to  speak,  and  she  would  find  him  ready  to  yield 
anything. 

"Mr.  Blankenship,"  she  began.  He  laughed 
fondly  at  the  absurdity  of  this  formal  title  from  her 
lips.  "  Mr.  Blankenship,  you  misunderstand.  You 
take  too  much  for  granted.  It  may  be  true  that  I 
love  you  —  I  shall  not  deny  it  —  but  I  have  had  time 
to  think  things  over,  and  I  must  tell  you  now,  once  and 
for  all,  that  neither  as  Mrs.  Kemp  nor  as  Minnie  can 
I  for  a  moment  consider  your  proposals.  I  shall 
never  marry  such  a  man  as  you,  never  —  never !  " 


CHAPTER  XXV 

*  *  ~1 "  SHALL  never  marry  such  a  man  as  you  — 
never  —  never !  " 

-*-  The  words  rang  in  his  ears  as  he  looked  at 
her  with  the  love  still  shining  in  his  eyes.  He 
laughed  unbelievingly. 

"  Don't  play  with  me  any  longer,  Minnie  darling," 
he  said  fondly.  "  The  time  for  that  is  over." 

11  It  is,  indeed,"  she  panted.  "  The  time  has  come 
when  we  must  face  things  squarely,  and  see  them  as 
they  are.  At  first  Rose  dominated  me.  She  had 
such  plans  for  you  and  me  —  together.  And  I,  igno- 
rant, shamed,  deeply  in  love  —  how  could  I  judge  if 
they  were  wise  or  right  ?  She  carried  me  on  by  her 
impetuosity.  She  painted  such  glowing  pictures  of 
you  to  me,  and  of  my  part  in  making  you  different  — 
what  could  I  do  but  acquiesce  in  all  she  wanted  of 
me?" 

"What  else?  "assented  Tom.  «  Sit  down.  We'll 
have  done  with  this  for  once  and  for  all." 

She  sank  into  a  chair  by  the  window,  glad  of  the 

support,  for  the  scene  just  past  had  left  her  strangely 

weary.     He,  seeing  now  that  something  was  really 

amiss,  seated  himself  beside  her  and  watched  her 

370 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA      371 

warily,  by  no  means  ready  to  admit  her  first  words 
true,  though  they  still  repeated  themselves  within  his 
brain,  as  he  listened  to  her  explanation. 

"  Captain  Shelley,  too  —  he  encouraged  her  and 
me,  and  seemed  to  think  her  plans  the  very  thing  for 
us.  And  Madge,  dear  patient  Madge  —  helped  Rose 
in  every  way  she  knew.  Marriage  for  us  was  the 
only  possible  solution  in  their  eyes.  Of  course  I 
thought  so  too  —  at  first." 

"  Why  don't  you  think  so  still  ?  " 

"  They  held  the  baby  up  before  my  eyes  —  always. 
They  talked  of  his  rights  until  I  became  confused. 
And  then,  I  loved  you,  Tom.  Had  they  left  me  igno- 
rant as  I  was  in  the  beginning,  I  could  have  imagined 
no  greater  bliss  than  just  being  allowed  to  go  on  lov- 
ing you  —  and  serving  you  —  unhindered." 

"  And  don't  you  feel  so  now  ?  " 

"  Wait !  This  thing  went  on  —  all  of  us  openly 
conniving  in  bringing  you  to  your  knees,  ready  to 
humble  yourself  to  the  woman  you  had  wronged  — 
until  the  very  moment  I  came  back  to  my  home  here. 
Had  you  sought  me  then  with  your  promises,  I  should 
have  flown  into  your  arms  —  I  say  it  frankly." 

"  And  something  has  happened  since  ?  " 

"  Nothing  has  happened  —  no.  But  I  have  had 
time  to  recover  from  the  confusion  into  which  so 
much  sudden  knowledge  thrust  me,  to  recover  from 
the  influence  Rose  exercised  over  me,  to  think  and 
weigh  and  judge  —  to  find  myself." 


372     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

"And  so  —  ?" 

"  I  reached  the  conclusion  that  I  don't  want  to 
marry  you  on  any  terms." 

"  Tell  me  your  reason  for  this  decision,"  urged 
Tom.  He  was  all  at  sea.  His  swiftly  built  castle 
was  tumbling  about  his  ears. 

"  I  will  try  to  explain  it  just  as  it  came  to  me,'" 
continued  Minnie  quietly.  "  First  of  all,  the  peace 
of  the  mountains  entered  my  soul  and  healed  it. 
The  hurry  and  the  bustle  of  the  town,  and  of  the  ac- 
tive life  there,  intruded  no  longer.  I  saw  every- 
thing clearly,  and  not  distorted  by  the  minds  of 
others.  While  still  with  Kose  and  Madge,  I  had 
felt  that  this  culture  they  talked  about,  this  veneer 
of  civilization,  this  ability  to  walk  and  talk  as  they 
did,  to  wear  their  kind  of  clothes,  to  read  their  kind 
of  books  —  this  was  everything.  I  really  felt  that 
I  had  become  a  different  woman.  And  when  they 
added  to  all  these  other  differences,  another  name,  I 
believed  that  my  personality  must  have  entirely 
changed.  At  any  rate  my  old  self  seemed  impos- 
sible —  a  dream.  I  wondered  at  the  funny,  awk- 
ward mountain  girl  named  Minnie  Gray.  I  was 
able  to  feel  but  scant  sympathy  for  her,  to  hear  you 
speak  of  her  scornfully,  and  to  use  her  deliberately 
to  work  upon  you  and  to  bring  about  my  own  happi- 
ness with  you  at  some  later  date." 

"  I  understand.     Go  on." 

•"  But  up  here,  the  false  veneer  soon  slipped  away. 


THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA     373 

Under  it  all  I  saw  I  had  not  changed.  I  was  still 
Minnie  Gray,  with  my  baby  a  burden  and  a  shame 
again  as  he  had  been  but  a  short  year  ago.  I 
found  the  disgrace  no  easier  to  bear  because  I  had 
learned  to  think.  Instead  it  was  harder,  more  hu- 
miliating. I  learned  that  one  does  not  change  char- 
acter with  clothes  or  education.  Instead  one  intensi- 
fies it,  and  with  that  intensifying  comes  no  new  ca- 
pacity for  suffering  —  only  what  was  once  dumb  an- 
guish can  be  now  expressed  —  that's  all." 

"  Yes,  I  think  that  is  true.     Go  on." 

"I  saw  you,  Tom,  struggling  between  the  girl  I 
was,  and  the  girl  I  had  become.  You  loathed  the 
one,  you  loved  the  other.  Yet  —  they  were  the  same 
girl.  Only  the  outer  cloak  was  different.  The 
things  you  loved  in  Mrs.  Kemp  were  exactly  the 
same  things  you  hated  in  Minnie.  I  asked  myself 
why  this  was  so.  The  answer  was  plain.  Mrs. 
Kemp  was  of  your  class.  Minnie  was  a  rejected 
outcast.  What  sort  of  passion  was  it  that  fed  on  a 
change  in  voice  and  manner  ?  What  sort  of  love  was 
it  that  depended  on  the  way  I  held  my  fork,  the  ac- 
cent I  gave  my  words,  the  clothes  I  wore?  I  was 
just  the  same  exactly  under  a  few  externals  —  just 
as  jealous,  just  as  loving,  just  as  selfish  or  unselfish, 
just  as  ready  to  serve  you  as  when  I  was  the  moun- 
tain girl  in  calico.  But  you  — "  contempt  crept  into 
her  voice.  "  You  were  unable  to  see  all  this.  You 
regarded  Minnie  as  a  bauble,  a  toy,  a  plaything. 


374     THE   SHELLEYS    OF   GEORGIA 

Her  happiness  was  nothing  to  you.  You  tossed  her 
lightly  aside,  never  discovering  that  she  had  the  same 
qualities  which  delighted  you  in  Mrs.  Kemp.  And 
why?  Because  she  wore  queer  clothes.  Her  face 
was  tanned.  Her  nails  —  horrors !  —  were  unmani- 
cured.  She  was  well  enough  for  amusement,  but 
for  a  wife  ?  Ah,  no !  '  You  still  have  the  heart  to 
condemn  me  to  her?'  Were  not  those  your  words? 
And  hearing  them,  do  you  think  I,  that  girl  herself, 
could  enter  your  arms  willingly,  knowing  that  she 
and  I  were  one?  And  are  you  still  surprised  and 
incredulous,  that  I  will  not  marry  you  ?  I  wish  I 
could  tear  this  love  for  you  from  my  heart  and 
trample  on  it  —  so !  I  wish  my  eyes  had  gone  blind 
before  ever  they  rested  on  your  face  and  found  it 
beguiling.  I  wish  that  I  had  died  when  I  was  a 
little  child,  before  I  had  ever  known  the  joy  and 
pain  of  loving  you !  " 

She  had  risen  again  to  her  feet,  with  a  passionate 
gesture  as  though,  indeed,  she  longed  to  tear  her  very 
heart  out  and  stamp  it  into  the  ground.  And  as 
Tom  looked  and  listened,  he  felt  that,  in  spite  of  all 
his  love,  he  had  never  sounded  the  deeps  of  Mrs. 
Kemp's  soul  —  had  never  given  Minnie  credit  for 
the  character  she  possessed.  None  of  them  had,  not 
even  Rose.  But  at  thought  of  Rose  his  face  lighted. 
Minnie  had  said  that  Rose  dominated  her.  Perhaps 
this  old  domination  would  help  him  now.  And  he 
strode  to  the  door  and  opened  it. 


THE   SHELLEY S    OF    GEORGIA      375 

"Rose,"  he  called  loudly. 

"Yes?"  The  gay  voice  showed  how  Rose 
thought  things  were  going. 

"Come  here!" 

"  Madge  is  with  me.     May  she  come,  too  ?  " 

"Yes,  yes!     Hurry!" 

"  It  has  been  a  long  interview,"  said  Rose  laugh- 
ingly to  Madge.  They  could  hear  her  plainly. 

"  And  probably  highly  satisfactory  to  them  both," 
was  Madge's  response. 

But  as  the  two  entered  the  little  room  they  saw  at 
once  that  things  were  far  from  satisfactory.  Minnie 
had  reseated  herself  by  the  window  and  was  looking 
pale  but  very  determined.  Tom  was  frowning, 
troubled,  and  began  at  once  to  speak. 

"  She  says  she  has  had  time  to  think,  and  does  not 
want  me." 

"  Why  ?  "     Rose  was  direct,  as  usual. 

"  She  is  the  girl  I  scorned,  for  all  her  culture. 
She  thinks  I  should  have  perceived  the  character  of 
the  mountain  girl  as  quickly  as  that  of  the  nurse, 
Mrs.  Kemp.  She  will  have  none  of  me." 

"  Minnie,  is  this  true  ?  I  thought  you  loved  him 
dearly,  and  agreed  to  all  my  plans." 

"  So  I  did,"  assented  Minnie.  "  But,  as  I  told 
Tom,  I  have  had  time  to  find  myself.  I  only  agreed 
because  I  had  not  taken  this  time  before.  If  he 
could  see  no  virtue  in  the  girl  I  was  —  well,  I  am 
still  that  girl,  and  I  don't  want  him.  Don't  you 


376     THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

see  that  I  would  sacrifice  myself  if  I  yielded  to  him  ? 
I  would  be  virtually  saying  what  my  mother  used 
often  to  declare  — '  It  is  clothes  that  make  the  lady.' 
I  was  just  as  much  a  lady  then  as  I  am  now  —  down 
in  my  soul,  I  was." 

"But,  Minnie—" 

"  Now,  Rose !  The  fact  that  I  have  learned  a  few 
pretty  tricks  makes  not  the  slightest  difference.  You 
can  teach  a  dog  tricks.  But  you  cannot  teach  him 
fidelity.  If  he  is  a  good  dog,  his  loyalty  is  born  in 
him.  Frankly,  I  resent  Tom's  inability  to  see  be- 
neath externals." 

"But,  Minnie—" 

"  Oh,  I  know  what  you  are  going  to  say.  You 
are  going  to  tell  me  that  Tom  was  not  used  to  re- 
garding the  mountain  people  as  having  souls  or 
hearts.  It  simply  never  occurred  to  him  that  souls 
and  hearts  existed  out  of  well-bred,  well-clad  bodies. 
He  could  not  recognize  their  presence  unless  prop- 
erly labeled.  Very  well!  But  I  am  proud  of  my 
mountain  origin.  My  mother  still  uses  the  plain 
mountain  dialect,  and  I  love  her  just  as  dearly  as 
if  she  tried  to  change.  I  have  neighbors  as  much 
gentlemen  and  ladies  as  any  college  graduates.  I 
care  more  for  earning  their  respect  than  that  of 
anybody  you  could  name  to  me.  Marrying  Tom 
now  may  gloss  everything  over  in  the  eyes  of  the 
world,  but  not  in  their  eyes.  So  I  shall  settle  down 
among  my  mountain  folks,  and  by  my  life  I'll  win. 


THE   SHELLEY S   OF   GEORGIA     377 

them  into  reinstating  me  among  them.  Don't  mis- 
understand me,  please,  Rose.  I  shall  not  forget  all 
you  have  taught  me,  and  I'll  try  to  pass  some  of  it 
along  to  the  people  here  —  that  part  which  is  worth 
while.  Unfortunately  that  part  is  just  what  Tom 
does  not  care  about,  for  it  isn't  the  style  or  polish, 
but  the  fundamental  knowledge  such  as  boiling  a 
baby's  bottle,  and  keeping  houses  sanitary." 

As  she  paused  for  breath,  Eose  spoke  quickly,  re- 
membering what  every  one  else  had  so  far  failed  to 
mention. 

"  But  the  baby,  Minnie.  Have  you  forgotten  how 
prominent  a  place  we  gave  him  ?  His  rights  — " 

"  I've  not  forgotten  one  of  them.  But,  Eose,  his 
rights  received  consideration  too  late,  since  he  was 
already  wronged.  Marriage  now  won't  help  him,  so 
far  as  I  can  see.  I'd  rather  have  him  grow  up  here 
among  these  mountain  people,  a  simple  lad  with  sim- 
ple aims,  than  to  live  in  the  town  in  surroundings 
like  his  father's, —  with  perhaps  the  same  results. 
You  may  say  what  you  like  about  our  mountain  boys, 
but  they  don't  betray  women.  They  defend  them. 
I  will  give  my  life  to  making  up  to  *  li'l  Tawm '  for 
the  harm  he  has  already  suffered,  but  I'll  not  give 
him  a  father  who  scorns  his  people  while  blind  to 
their  true  worth." 

"  But,  Minnie !  It  is  your  business  to  show  Tom 
all  these  things.  I  daresay  he  is  quite  ready  to  ac- 
knowledge the  worth  of  your  mountain  friends.  I 


378     THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

am  sure  lie  will  help  you  in  educating  them.  He  has 
already  yielded  everything  in  coming  to  Minnie 
Gray." 

"  In  coming  to  the  girl  he  considered  Minnie 
Gray,"  corrected  Minnie.  "  Rose,  I  know  what  sort 
of  man  he  has  been  all  these  years.  Come  now,  I'll 
put  you  a  straight  question.  Suppose  you  loved  a 
man  and  suddenly  discovered  that  in  the  past  he 
had  lived  as  Tom  has  lived.  Would  you  marry 
him?" 

"  I  don't  see  what  that  has  to  do  with  it." 

"  That  lies  at  the  bottom  of  it  all.  I  know  you 
refused  Tom,  but  you  had  never  really  loved  him. 
Suppose  the  man  you  loved  came  to  you,  and  you 
found  out  those  things  about  him.  Would  you  marry 
him?  Answer  me,  Rose." 

"I  would  not,"  admitted  Rose.  "The  man  I 
love  must  be  as  pure  as  I." 

"  I  knew  that  was  how  you  felt.  I  should  like  it 
to  be  true  of  myself.  If  Tom's  transgression 
against  Minnie  had  been  his  only  one,  I  might  have 
condoned  it.  He  has  accused  her  of  faithlessness  a 
score  of  times.  He  has  offered  that  as  his  excuse  for 
abandoning  her  completely.  I  am  ready  to  acknowl- 
edge that,  had  it  been  true  of  her,  he  would  have 
been  justified.  Well,  so  am  I  justified  when  it  is 
true  of  him." 

Rose  turned  to  Tom  with  a  hopeless  gesture.  She 
was  as  surprised  as  he.  That  all  this  had  been  brew- 


THE   SHELLEY S   OF   GEORGIA     879 

ing  in  Minnie's  brain  had  been  wholly  unsuspected 
by  her.  Consequently  she  had  no  weapon  ready  to 
combat  it. 

But  Madge,  with  a  magnificent  belief  in  Gabe  to 
uphold  her,  felt  none  of  the  hesitancy  which  char- 
acterized Kose. 

"  I'll  call  my  husband.  He'll  know  what  to  do," 
she  said,  and  left  the  room. 

But  Minnie  looked  more  resolute  than  ever,  and 
Tom  frowned  and  grew  increasingly  disconsolate. 
Rose  went  to  her  friend  and  sought  in  whispers  to 
alter  her  point  of  view.  And  in  a  short  time  Madge 
returned,  with  Gabe. 

His  face  was  inscrutable.  Madge  had  told  him 
of  the  unexpected  development,  but  he  gave  no  sign 
of  this  knowledge. 

"  What's  the  trouble  here  ?  "  he  asked  at  once,  and, 
going  to  Minnie,  took  her  hand  in  his.  "  Tell  your 
father's  old  friend  all  about  it,  my  dear,"  he  said  in 
his  kindest  tones. 

Instantly  Minnie  responded,  pouring  out  again  all 
her  doubts  and  troubles  which  had  still  further  crys- 
tallized in  her  first  expression  of  them.  She  had 
been  brooding,  perhaps  unwisely,  but  too  well.  Even 
Gabe  was  stumped  as  from  Madge,  and  then  from 
the  girl  herself,  he  heard  her  reasons  against  marry- 
ing Tom. 

As  she  finished,  he  looked  at  her  admiringly.  "  I 
must  say,  my  dear,  that  I  didn't  think  you  had  it 


S80     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

in  you.  What  has  Tom  said  in  reply  to  these  ob- 
jections of  yours  ?  " 

"  Only  this,"  burst  out  Tom.  "  I  will  admit  that 
in  the  past  I  have  been  crass  and  cowardly.  I  have 
insulted  Minnie  Gray  a  thousand  times  —  but  I  had 
no  conception  of  the  personality  that  she  possessed. 
I  can  only  make  amends  if  she  will  let  me,  by  devot- 
ing my  whole  future  life  to  showing  her  that  I  too 
have  changed." 

"  Doesn't  that  satisfy  you,  Minnie  ?  "  Gabe  was  im- 
personal, a  kindly  mediator. 

"  No."     She  shook  her  head.     "  I  can't  forget." 

"Nor  forgive?" 

"  Yes.  But  it  would  rise  between.  And  he  has 
been  —  that  sort  of  man." 

"  He  will  not  be  again." 

"  But  he  has  been." 

"I  cannot  deny  that.  He  has  been,  it  is  true. 
Minnie,  have  you  stopped  to  think  that  Tom  was  not 
altogether  responsible  for  this  ?  " 

"  Of  course  he  was  responsible.  He  was  a  man, 
free  to  choose  — " 

"  Ah,  but  he  wasn't.  That's  just  the  point.  He 
wasn't  free  to  choose.  He  was  a  victim,  just  as  you 
were." 

"  I  don't  know  what  you  mean." 

"  Let  me  tell  you  something.  When  Tom  was  a 
little  fellow  he  was  given  over  into  the  hands  of  a 
colored  nurse.  All  the  white  babies  of  his  class  are. 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     381 

Now  this  particular  nurse  —  understand,  I  don't  con- 
demn her,  for  she  was  a  victim,  too  —  this  particular 
nurse  was  the  child  of  a  slave  by  that  slave's  white 
master.  There  was  no  morality  put  into  her  com- 
position. Her  mother  was  proud  of  her  relationship 
with  her  master,  and  boasted  of  it  on  every  occasion. 
The  girl  grew  up  as  rank  as  any  wayside  weed.  She 
was  sly  and  respectful  to  her  mistress.  Behind  her 
back  she  was  bold  and  vulgar  to  a  degree.  I  daresay 
baby  Tom  received  his  first  lessons  in  sex  from  her." 

"  How  did  you  guess  ?  "     Tom  was  amazed. 

"  I  have  eyes  and  ears,"  said  Gabe  drily.  "  ISTow, 
then !  From  the  influence  of  this  nurse  Tom  passed 
to  school  with  other  boys  fresh  from  like  influences. 
I  have  heard  it  said  that  the  talk  of  school-children 
would  often  shock  their  parents.  I  know  this  to  be 
true.  Tom  came  home  steeped  in  morbid,  unhealthy 
knowledge.  He  saw  his  father  with  keen  eyes.  I 
don't  condemn  that  father,  either,  for  he  also  was  a 
victim.  But  from  him  Tom  learned  more  lessons. 
His  first  transgression  was  applauded  —  his  second 
was  accepted  as  a  matter  of  course.  He  soon  learned 
how  men  regarded  such  things,  and  of  course  he  did 
not  wish  to  be  a  mollycoddle.  He  was  as  clear  a  vic- 
tim of  the  double  standard  as  one  can  hope  to  find 
nowadays.  He  was  educated  in  the  code  from  the 
moment  of  his  birth.  The  only  wonder  is  that  he 
did  not  go  still  farther.  In  spite  of  his  teaching, 
he  must  have  had  a  saving  sense  of  decency,  to  keep 


382     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

himself  clean  and  healthy.  Through  you,  Minnie, 
he  has  had  his  eyes  opened  at  last.  He  sees  the  jus- 
tice of  your  claims.  He  sees  the  immorality  of  his 
past  life,  and  with  him  you  can  make  the  little  Tom 
a  better  man  than  you  can  without  him.  And  you 
love  him — " 

"  But  I  do  not  respect  him." 

"You  will.  You  must.  Conscious  reaching  for 
the  higher  things  of  life  always  earns  respect  in  the 
end.  Minnie,  I  did  not  expect  to  find  you  cold,  and 
hard,  and  unforgiving  — " 

"  Captain  Gabe,  I'm  not  — " 

"  Oh,  yes,  you  are.  You  are  showing  yourself  to 
be  narrow  and  Puritanical.  I  had  counted  on  your 
broad-mindedness.  You  have  suffered  enough  your- 
self to  make  allowances.  Minnie,  Jesus  did  not  con- 
demn the  sinner.  Rather  he  rejoiced  over  '  the  sin- 
ner that  repenteth.'  I  know  what  is  the  matter  with 
you,  Minnie." 

"  What  ?  "     Minnie  looked  eager. 

"  You  are  so  used  to  being  miserable  that  you  are 
afraid  to  look  happiness  in  the  face.  Now  it  con- 
fronts you,  you've  run  away  like  a  rabbit  from  the 
gun  of  the  hunter,  and,  hiding  way  back  in  the 
dark  burrow  you  have  made  for  yourself,  you  are 
fancying  everything  to  be  true  but  truth.  Come  out 
into  the  sunshine,  Minnie.  Know  that  Tom  loves 
you.  Know  that  you  love  him.  Nothing  matters 
but  just  that." 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     383 

"Bose  wouldn't  marry  a  man  with  a  past  like 
Tom's." 

"Perhaps  not.  I  sincerely  hope  she  will  fall  in 
love  some  day  with  a  fellow  who,  by  birth  and  en- 
vironment, by  influence  and  by  heredity,  is  clean 
morally  and  physically.  Such  a  man  is  hard  to  find. 
He  is  an  accident  nowadays.  He  should  be  a  com- 
monplace. However,  if  Kose  should  love  a  man  with 
a  past  —  and  he  'fessed  up  and  promised  good  be- 
havior —  and  showed  he  meant  it,  every  word  —  and 
if  he  had  no  other  claims  upon  him  —  I'd  say,  '  Bless 
you,  my  children.'  There  are  plenty  of  us  morally 
besmirched  in  other  ways  that  I  am  almost  more 
afraid  of,  Minnie.  And  now  I  am  going  to  say  some- 
thing you  may  not  like.  Minnie,  did  I  ever  speak 
to  you  of  what  you  yourself  have  done  ?  " 

"  Captain  Gabe— " 

"Yes,  I  know.  Eose  has  been  busy  holding  up 
your  wrongs  until  you  have  grown  to  believe  in  them. 
But  you  were  seventeen  years  old  and  ought  to  have 
had  better  sense.  Tom  did  not  sin  alone,  Minnie." 

"  Captain  Gabe !  "     The  girl  was  sobbing. 

"  There,  there !  I  did  not  mean  to  make  you  cry. 
What  I  wanted  to  show  you  was  that  if  it  comes  right 
down  to  rock  bottom  there  isn't  one  of  us  that  hasn't 
done  something  to  be  ashamed  of  at  one  time  or  an- 
other. We  are  all  human,  Minnie.  Give  over  think- 
ing about  wrongs,  my  dear.  Think  of  rights.  Tom 
has  a  right  to  you  and  to  his  boy.  You  have  a  right 


384     THE    SHELLS YS    OF    GEORGIA 

to  him.  Help  one  another,  and  between  you  help 
the  little  son.  Now,  folks,  I'm  done.  Come  out  and 
leave  these  two  alone.  They'll  soon  decide  — " 

He  rose  to  lead  his  wife  and  Rose  away  but  Minnie 
rose  too.  "  You  don't  have  to  go,"  she  said  tremu- 
lously. "I've  decided.  I'd  gotten  everything  all 
mixed  up,  I  reckon.  If  Tom  still  wants  me,  after  all 
I've  said  — " 

"  If  Tom  still  wants  you !  Hurry,  Rose  and 
Madge.  Let's  give  Tom  a  chance  to  tell  her  if  he 
wants  her." 

It  was  a  chance  of  which  Tom  made  the  most. 


G 


CHAPTER  iXXVI 

* '  ^*">1  OD  bless  my  soul,"  chuckled  old  Judge 
Oglethorpe.  "  I  didn't  expect  to  officiate 
at  a  wedding  when  I  decided  to  come  out 
to  the  hills  with  Gabe  this  afternoon.  What  I  want 
to  know,  Tom,  is  what  the  folks  at  Salem  are  going 
to  say  about  all  this  ?  " 

"  111  attend  to  the  folks  at  Salem,"  said  Gabe  con- 
fidently. "  Tom,  how  about  an  article  on  the  front 
page  of  The  Budget,  headed  something  like  this: 
'  Sheriff  unearths  romance  of  long  standing.  Judge 
Oglethorpe  guilty  of  performing  secret  marriage. 
Tom  Blankenship  a  married  man.'  Then  I'll  go  on 
to  explain  that  you  fell  in  love  with  a  mountain  girl 
and  married  her  secretly,  for  fear  of  your  Aunt  Betty 
Oglethorpe's  disapproval.  I  will  state  that  the  young 
lady  is  a  daughter  of  the  late  Corporal  Ben  Gray,  and 
every  one  knows  how  I  loved  my  old  war  comrade,  so 
that  is  voucher  enough,  to  my  thinking.  And  then 
I'll  say  that,  under  the  name  of  Mrs.  Kemp,  Minnie 
has  been  busy  finishing  her  education  and  getting 
ready  to  assume  the  high  position  now  hers  as  Tom's 
wife.  Also  that  the  young  son  and  heir  is  thriving. 
How  about  it,  Tom  ?  " 

385 


386     THE   SHELLEY S   OF   GEORGIA 

"  You  may  say  what  you  please,  Captain,"  replied 
Tom  heartily.  "I  am  content  to  leave  matters  in 
your  hands..  For  myself,  I'd  face  the  music,  but  I 
have  to  think  of  Minnie  now.  It  wouldn't  do  for  her 
to  start  life  in  Salem  under  a  cloud.  That  is  why  I 
have  asked  the  Judge  to  ante-date  the  marriage  cer- 
tificate." 

The  men  were  waiting  in  the  living  room  of  Sun- 
crest,  while  the  women  packed  Minnie's  few  be- 
longings, and  the  girl  said  her  farewells  to  her 
mother.  Now  Homer  Fort  suggested,  with  a  smile, 
"  It  is  the  modern  inclination,  Mr.  Blankenship,  to 
stand  forth  in  one's  true  colors,  and  let  people  take 
you  for  exactly  what  you  are.  Maybe  Minnie  has 
some  of  those  high-flown  ideas,  and  will  not  want  to 
hide  under  a  false  date." 

"  We  have  the  baby  to  think  of,"  said  Tom  with 
magnificent  simplicity.  "  From  those  who  would 
understand,  we  have  no  intention  of  hiding  our  true 
selves.  Salem  generally  would  never  understand. 
Minnie  would  be  ostracized.  That  wouldn't  do,  you 
know.  I  can't  have  her  hounded  all  her  life  for  a 
girlish  indiscretion  that  was  all  my  fault.  You  men 
know  that  she  would  bear  the  burden  of  shame,  while 
I'd  go  scot-free." 

"That's  true,"  admitted  Gabe  sorrowfully. 
"Minnie  wronged,  sad  and  humble,  would  come  in 
for  a  measure  of  patronizing  sympathy.  But  Min- 
nie righted,  taking  a  place  in  the  community  —  she 


THE   SHELLEY S   OF   GEORGIA     887 

wouldn't  have  the  ghost  of  a  show.  Salem  would 
tear  her  heart  open  with  its  scorn  and  then  rub  salt 
into  the  wounds.  You  are  quite  right,  Tom.  I  shall 
go  ahead  and  put  that  article  in  the  paper.  Here 
come  the  ladies !  Ready,  gentlemen !  " 

Mrs.  Gray  was  weeping  softly  as  she  entered  the 
room,  leaning  on  her  daughter  for  support.  "  I 
nevuh  thought  to  see  this  hyar  day,  Cap'n  Gabe,"  she 
murmured.  "  I'm  a  moughty  proud  ole  woman. 
My  gal  has  gotten  to  be  a  real  lady,  thanks  to  you- 
all." 

"  Now,  Mrs.  Gray,"  said  Eose,  who  followed  close 
behind  with  Madge,  "you  must  calm  yourself  and 
listen  while  the  Judge  performs  the  ceremony.  Min- 
nie, are  you  ready  ?  " 

Minnie  had  changed  to  a  simple  suit  of  blue.  Un- 
der her  small  hat  her  face  was  pale  and  composed. 
One  would  hardly  have  guessed  from  her  quiet  man- 
ner, how  momentous  the  occasion  was  to  her.  She 
and  Tom  took  their  places  before  the  old  Judge,  who 
dropped  his  usual  half -joking,  half -querulous  atti- 
tude, and  adopted  the  solemn  dignity  which  consorted 
best  with  his  office.  He  proceeded  at  once  with  the 
simple  words  which  he  thought  suited  to  the  occasion. 

"  We  are  gathered  here,  as  the  friends  and  wit- 
nesses of  this  man  and  woman,  to  unite  them  as  hus- 
band and  wife. 

"  Thomas  Blankenship,  do  you  take  this  woman, 
Minnie  Gray,  to  be  your  lawful  wedded  wife,  to  have 


388     THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

and  to  hold,  to  comfort  and  to  bless,  so  long  as  your 
united  loves  shall  endure  ?  " 

"  I  do."  Toin's  voice  was  steady  and  firm,  and 
yet  with  a  touch  of  sadness  in  it. 

"  You  will  love,  honor,  cherish  and  care  for  her, 
and  for  her  children,  in  sickness  and  in  health,  in 
prosperity  and  in  adversity,  and  will  cleave  tenderly 
and  loyally  unto  her  as  a  true  husband  unto  a  true 
wife?" 

"  I  will."  The  words  were  spoken  with  purpose 
and  conviction. 

"Minnie  Gray,  do  you  take  this  man,  Thomas 
Blankenship,  to  be  your  lawful  husband  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  answered  Minnie  simply,  her  earnest  eyes 
upon  the  Judge's  face. 

"  You  will  love,  honor,  cherish  and  care  for  him 
and  for  his  children,  in  sickness,  in  health;  in  pros- 
perity and  in  adversity;  and  cleave  unto  him  with 
loyalty  and  tenderness,  so  long  as  your  united  loves 
shall  endure?" 

"  I  will."  Though  the  words  were  clear  and  dis- 
tinct, the  tears  rained  down  her  cheeks.  The  hearts 
of  those  present  swelled  in  sympathy,  but  the  Judge 
went  on  with  low  and  fervent  voice. 

"  Such  a  union  is  ordained  in  the  laws  of  our 
being,  the  welfare  and  happiness  of  ourselves  and  of 
mankind ;  and,  therefore,  is  not  to  be  entered  lightly 
or  unadvisedly,  but  with  honest  hearts,  discreetly,  ad- 
visedly and  soberly.  To  be  true,  this  outward  trust 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     389 

must  be  but  a  symbol  of  what  is  inner  and  real  —  a 
sacred  personal  union,  which  society  deems  fitting 
and  honorable,  and  which  our  laws  make  legal,  but 
which  neither  laws  nor  society  can  either  create  or 
annul.  Its  high  quality  and  success  depend  upon 
the  wisdom  and  temperance  of  you  who  enter  into 
this  relation ;  and  on  the  steady  unwavering  devotion 
of  each  of  you  to  the  other;  and  in  the  fidelity  of 
both  of  you  to  the  noblest  ends  and  purposes  of  life. 
Believing  that  you  have  carefully  weighed  these  obli- 
gations, and  that  you  intend  to  faithfully  fulfill  them, 
we,  your  friends  and  witnesses,  pronounce  you  man 
and  wife ;  which  I,  as  a  servant  of  the  state,  confirm 
and  publish  in  her  name  and  with  Tier  authority." 

As  the  last  solemn  word  fell  softly  on  the  air,  Tom 
turned  to  Minnie  with  a  tender  smile.  He  did  not 
kiss  her  there  before  them  all.  Some  way  he  felt  too 
humble  and  too  thankful  for  that,  even  in  front  of 
these  friends  who  knew  his  story.  But  as  they  two 
looked  into  each  other's  eyes,  it  seemed  as  though 
their  very  souls  leaped  together  in  a  mute  caress  — 
a  promise  of  what  was  to  be. 

"  We  have  the  Captain  to  thank  for  everything," 
cried  Minnie,  turning  impulsively  to  Gabe.  "  And 
Madge  and  Rose  —  every  one  of  you  has  had  a  share 
in  making  this  moment  possible.  By  your  kindness 
you  have  made  me  all  I  am  or  ever  hope  to  be  as 
Tom's  wife.  How  can  I  express  my  gratitude !  " 

"  Don't  try,"  whispered  Rose,  as  they  all  crowded 


390     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

around  the  pretty  bride.  tl  Don't  say  another  word 
ahout  it,  dear." 

"  And  remember/'  warned  the  Judge,  "  I  shall 
keep  my  eye  on  both  of  you,  for  I  feel  a  deep  sense 
of  responsibility  towards  you  now.  God  bless  my 
soul !  To  think  of  Tom  a  married  man,  and  liking 
the  situation !  I  am  surprised !  " 

"  May  I  say  just  a  word  ? "  asked  Homer  from  the 
outskirts  of  the  group. 

"  Fire  away,  Homer,"  ordered  Tom  familiarly. 

"  It  is  just  that  I  am  very  happy  to  have  been 
counted  in  on  this.  I  feel  it  an  honor.  I  am  a 
Northerner,  and  a  commonplace  business  man,  and  I 
am  proud  to  be  included  just  as  if  I  were  one  of  you. 
This  has  been  a  mighty  pretty  wedding,  and  the  bride 
one  of  the  loveliest  it  has  ever  been  my  good  fortune 
to  kiss."  Here  he  suited  the  action  to  the  word,  to 
the  embarrassment  of  Minnie  and  the  delight  of 
every  one  else.  "  We  made  a  mistake  in  not  foresee- 
ing this,  Judge,  and  bringing  Uncle  Jack  along  with 
the  necessaries  for  a  julep  —  how  are  we  to  drink 
the  health  of  the  bride  and  groom  ?  " 

"  Law-S7/  /  "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Gray.  "  I  clean  f er- 
got. I  have  fruit  cake  an'  dandelion  wine.  Do  you 
reckon  them'll  do  ?  " 

"  Anything  will  do,  Mrs.  Gray,"  cried  the  Judge. 
"  Anything  will  do." 

So  a  little  later  Gabe  lifted  high  his  glass  and  pro- 
posed a  toast  to  Tom  and  Minnie.  "  May  their  life 


THE    SHELLEYS    OF   GEORGIA     391 

be  all  roses  with  the  thorns  removed.  May  they  be 
as  happy  —  as  happy  —  as  you  and  I  are,  Madge." 
The  Captain's  deep  sincerity  left  nothing  to  be  de- 
sired. 

Just  then  a  wail  sounded  from  the  adjoining  room. 
"  Li'l  Tawm  "  felt  that  he  had  been  left  there  with 
Janey  quite  long  enough,  and  expressed  his  resent- 
ment with  a  lusty  pair  of  lungs.  For  a  moment  the 
wedding  party  were  at  a  loss.  Though  they  were  all 
old  friends,  they  really  did  not  know  what  to  say  or 
do  about  the  baby.  But  Tom  knew.  He  hastened 
out  and  was  soon  back  with  "  li'l  Tawm." 

"  Judge,"  he  said  gravely.  "  It  isn't  every  man's 
luck  to  have  a  boy  like  this." 

"  At  least  not  on  his  wedding  day  —  God  bless  my 
soul,  Tom,  I  didn't  mean  that — " 

"  It's  all  right,  Judge,"  Tom  assured  him.  "  It's 
all  right.  Minnie  and  I  were  really  married  almost 
two  years  ago." 

"  That's  the  way  to  talk,  Tom,"  approved  Gabe. 
"  There  is  always  merit  in  a  struggle  upward,  and 
the  farther  down  the  start,  the  more  glorious  the 
finish  at  the  top.  For  myself,  I  have  forgotten 
everything  except  that  you  and  Minnie  are  my 
friends,  entitled  to  my  sincerest  liking  and  respect 
—  except  when  I  am  writing  a  political  article,  Tom. 
Then  I  reserve  the  right  to  lamm  you." 

The  party  separated  soon  after,  for  Tom  was  in  a 
hurry  to  be  gone.  Janey  and  the  baby  were  to  ac- 


392     THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

company  them,  on  a  trip  long  enough  to  allow  gossip 
to  wax  and  wane  before  their  return. 

Gabe  and  his  family  were  to  have  dinner  at  Sun- 
crest,  so  good-bys  had  to  be  said.  Minnie  clung  to 
Hose  and  Madge,  and  to  her  mother,  and  cried  a  little 
and  laughed  a  great  deal.  Tom  shook  hands  all 
round,  and  then,  with  his  wife,  led  a  merry  procession 
across  the  lawn,  through  the  gateway,  and  over  to  his 
waiting  team.  He  swung  Minnie  into  the  seat  be- 
side his  own,  settled  Janey,  the  baby,  and  the  small 
amount  of  luggage  in  the  back,  and  amid  a  chorus 
of  good  wishes  he  drove  away,  bound  directly  for  At- 
lanta. From  there  he  intended  to  take  his  small  fam- 
ily North. 

"Well,  Rose,"  said  Gabe  as  the  wagonette  disap- 
peared over  the  brow  of  the  hill.  "  A  year  ago 
you  set  out  to  bring  this  event  to  pass.  Now  that  you 
have  succeeded,  how  do  you  feel  about  it  ?  " 

"Father,"  replied  Eose  earnestly,  "to-day  has 
been  the  happiest  of  my  whole  life.  I  can  think  of 
nothing  to  make  it  more  complete." 

"I  can,"  said  Homer.  "Wouldn't  you  like  to 
climb  to  the  summit  of  this  hill  and  look  down  upon 
all  Georgia  ?  Your  father  tells  me  there  was  never 
such  a  view." 

"  Yes,  I  should  like  that,"  responded  Eose  with  a 
bright  smile.  "  Can  Judge  Oglethorpe  stand  the 
walk?" 

"  I'm  going  back  to  '  Gabe's  hotel,' "  replied  the 


THE    SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA      393 

Judge.  "  You  don't  think  I'd  be  fool  enough  to  at- 
tempt that  climb  at  my  time  of  life,  do  you  ? " 

"  Gabe  and  I  will  go  back,  too,"  said  Madge. 

"  All  right,  then.  Even  though  every  one  deserts 
us,  we  will  make  the  trip  alone,"  cried  Homer. 
"  Come  on,  Miss  Rose.  It  is  nearly  time  for  sunset, 
and  we  have  a  glorious  picture  waiting  for  us  at  the 
mountain  top,  if  we  hurry." 

They  ran  away  together,  laughing.  Eose  was  as 
free  as  a  boy  in  her  riding-suit,  and  Fort  had  a  hard 
time  to  keep  up  with  her.  She  had  left  her  hat  be- 
hind, and  now  her  beautiful  hair  escaped  its  bonds 
in  a  hundred  bewitching  little  wisps  and  curls.  As 
she  looked  around  to  mock  at  Homer  for  a  laggard, 
her  flushed  cheeks  and  starry  eyes  made  her  lovely 
past  belief.  His  keen  intuition  told  him  that  the 
events  of  the  day  were  not  alone  responsible  for  this, 
though  each  one  had  undoubtedly  influenced  her. 
The  lunch  party  on  the  lawn  at  home,  with  the  visit 
from  the  boys,  had  first  served  to  lift  her  out  of  her- 
self. Then  Tom's  visit,  with  its  unfolding  of  his 
change  of  front,  had  made  her  fairly  tremulous  with 
joy.  During  the  ride  up  the  mountain-side  she  had 
behaved  like  a  child  indeed,  and  Homer  knew  that 
her  mood  had  been  induced  by  Tom's  declarations. 
Swiftly  upon  this  had  come  the  springing  of  Gabe's 
surprise,  with  its  wonderful  possibilities.  And  then 
the  marriage  of  Tom  and  Minnie,  in  which  her  secret 
plans  had  borne  fruit. 


394     THE    SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

And  yet  she  was  so  remarkable  in  her  glowing 
beauty,  so  stirred  to  the  deeps  of  her  soul,  so  soft- 
ened and  tender  and  appealing,  that  Homer  felt  that 
something  else  must  have  transpired,  of  which  he  was 
yet  ignorant  —  something  which  had  wrought  a 
change  in  the  heart  of  the  girl  herself,  so  wonderful 
that  his  vague  sensing  of  it  tempered  his  thoughts  of 
her  with  subtle  reverence.  A  new  quality  crept  into 
his  love  which  was  to  endure  through  all  the  coming 
years. 

While  he  was  pondering  as  to  what  this  could  be, 
they  reached  the  summit  of  the  hill,  and  Rose  uttered 
a  cry  of  pleasure  at  the  scene  which  spread  itself  be- 
fore them.  Far  down  in  the  valley,  where  it  was 
growing  dusk,  they  could  see  the  tiny  glinting  lights 
of  Salem.  Peach  orchards  stretched  away  in  all  di- 
rections from  the  nucleus  of  the  town.  The  road 
wound  in  and  out,  and  the  river,  like  a  silver  thread, 
showed  sections  of  itself  stitched  through  the  willows 
which  crowded  its  banks.  Farther  away  it  widened 
into  a  placid  lake,  which  reflected  the  rosy  tints  now 
spreading  over  the  sky. 

Beyond  the  rim  of  another  hill  the  sun  had  already 
hidden  its  jovial  face.  Broad  rays  shot  outward, 
veritable  Jacob's  ladders.  The  clear,  translucent 
blue  of  the  autumn  sky  showed  through  the  tumbled 
clouds,  which  were  no  longer  ordinary  banks  of  mist, 
but  resplendent  canopies  of  gold  and  purple,  and 


THE    SHELLEYS    OF   GEORGIA      895 

crimson  shading  into  rose,  transmitting  the  after- 
glow. 

They  stood  side  by  side  in  a  long  silence.  At  last 
Rose  gave  a  little  sigh  and  murmured,  as  if  fearing  to 
break  the  spell  if  she  spoke  aloud.  "  How  this  com- 
pletes the  day,  Mr.  Fort !  I  feel  as  though  the  uni- 
rerse  had  conscious  thought,  and  had  spoken  to  me 
just  now,  making  me  promises  which  are  sure  to  be 
fulfilled.  I  know  that  God  is, —  and  more  wonder- 
ful than  humanity  has  dreamed  —  more  mighty  and 
more  infinitely  tender  and  compassionate." 

"  Come  back  to  me,  Rose,"  whispered  Homer. 

« I  am  here." 

"  You  stand  beside  me,  but  your  self  is  far  away. 
I  feel  cold  and  lonely.  Come  back  to  me.  Give  me 
your  hand." 

So  great  was  the  spell,  into  which  his  words  ac- 
corded, that  she  stretched  out  her  arm  and  laid  her 
hand  in  his.  He  drew  her  closer. 

"Rose,  your  eyes  see  visions  yonder.  Let  me 
share  them." 

"  I  will  try.  First  I  see  Tom  and  Minnie,  going 
far  away  together.  They  will  be  very  happy.  Next 
I  see  my  father  —  and  Madge.  She  has  no  thought 
beyond  him,  he  none  for  any  one  but  her.  I  used  to 
doubt  that,  guarding  a  little  jealously  the  memory  of 
my  own  mother.  Now  I  am  glad  that  it  is  so,  for 
together  they  will  work  for  the  good  of  the  children 


396     THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

everywhere.  Suncrest  will  grow  and  broaden. 
When  Father  gives  it  to  Georgia,  I  can  fancy  his  gift 
being  looked  at  askance  at  first.  But  it  will  prove 
itself  and  will  lay  the  foundation  for  similar  schools 
all  through  the  land.  I  see  this  whole  country  stir- 
ring to  life,  and  leading  in  a  world-movement  for 
peace  and  progress,  which  must  come  sooner  or  later. 
Mr.  Fort,  I  see  things  so  great,  so  vast,  so  wonderful, 
that  I  cannot  quite  grasp  them  —  but  I  know  that 
they  are  there,  and  are  destined  to  come  to  pass." 

"  And  in  all  this  visioning  do  you  catch  no  glimpse 
of  me?" 

"Of  you?" 

"  Yes.  Am  I  left  quite  out  ?  Is  there  no  future 
for  you  into  which  I  enter  ?  Rose,  surely  this  after- 
noon's events  have  restored  your  faith  in  humanity. 
I  love  you,  oh,  so  dearly,  that  I  cannot  let  the  day 
come  to  an  end  without  another  plea  for  your  con- 
sideration. Have  I  no  chance  at  all  ? " 

She  was  silent,  looking  into  the  distances  which 
were  now  fading  into  duller  hues,  but  clear  and 
transparent  still.  He  felt  it  some  concession  that 
she  did  not  withdraw  her  hand,  and  that  it  trembled 
a  little  in  his  grasp. 

"Rose,  take  me  with  you  into  that  future  about 
which  you  are  dreaming.  Tell  me  that  I  am  to  be 
happy  as  well  as  all  the  rest,  and  that  in  being  happy 
I  will  make  you  happy,  too." 

So  still  was  she  that  as  his  words  died  on  the  air 


THE   SHELLEY S   OF   GEORGIA     397 

it  seemed  that  the  silence  reached  out  from  her  to 
enfold  him.  With  her  hand  in  both  his  own  he 
stood  waiting  for  her  answer.  But  her  eyes  brooded 
over  the  distant  hills  and  sky.  She  was  so  remote 
from  him  that  he  felt  suddenly  as  if  his  life  itself 
depended  upon  arousing  her.  Eoughly  he  dropped 
her  hand  and  caught  her  to  him. 

"You  shall  come  back  and  hear  me,"  he  cried 
boldly. 

And  then  he  saw  that  she  was  dimpling,  and  that 
her  eyes  were  mischievous.  In"the  quick  revulsion 
he  let  her  go,  and  his  own  face  grew  stern.  "  You 
are  playing  with  me,"  he  accused  her.  "I  would 
not  have  believed  it  of  you,  Rose." 

"  Forgive  me.     I  was  thinking  — " 

"Of  what?" 

"  Sit  down  here,  on  these  stones  beside  me. 
There !  Now  we  can  talk." 

"  Of  what  were  you  thinking  ?  " 

"  Of  a  little  map  you  drew  for  me  some  time  ago  — 
of  a  highway  called  Comrade  Street,  which  went  up 
the  Hill  of  Understanding  to  the  Heights  of  Friend- 
ship Mountain.  Do  you  remember  ? " 

"  Yes,  I  remember.     What  of  it  ?  " 

"  It  was  symbolical.  I  tore  up  the  map,  but  I 
could  not  alter  the  progress  of  our  acquaintance,  Mr. 
Fort.  I  couldn't  even  keep  the  'No  Trespassing' 
signs  as  high  as  you  advised." 

u  How  do  you  know  ? " 


398     THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

"  Because,  Mr.  Fort,  I  have  caught  you  twice  in 
the  very  act  of  peeping  over.  Mr.  Fort  —  let  me 
whisper  this  so  that  even  the  birds  can't  hear  —  I 
should  like  to  take  a  peep  myself,  to  see  what  lies  be- 
hind." 

She  was  so  bewitching  in  her  pretended  confidence 
that  he  feared  to  speak  lest  he  spoil  her  mood.  But 
as  she  waited  for  his  answer,  he  ventured,  "  Why  ?  " 

"  Because,  I  might  look  all  by  myself,  but  I  fear 
I  could  not  see  plainly.  It  is  all  so  very  mysterious. 
If  we  looked  together,  you  might  explain  things  to 
me,  so  I  would  know  —  what  love  is  —  what  it  is 
like  — " 

"  Very  well."  He  pretended  to  be  calm  and  judi- 
cious, in  spite  of  the  racing  of  his  pulse.  "  Take 
my  hand  —  so.  Look  where  I  bid  you,  into  the  heart 
of  that  huge  cloud.  Do  you  see  nothing  ?  " 

"  Nothing." 

"Don't  you  catch  even  a  glimpse  of  the  elusive 
form  of  Love?" 

"No.  It  is  only  a  big  purple  bank,  promising 
rain  to-morrow." 

"  Then  look  yonder,  down  into  the  valley.  Per- 
haps love  lies  there,  below  us." 

"  No.     I  see  nothing  but  a  busy  town  — " 

"  Above  you,  then,  in  the  places  which  held  visions 
for  you  just  a  little  while  ago." 

"  No.  Love  is  not  there.  It  is  all  growing  cold 
and  still." 


THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA     399 

"Ah,  Rose,  I  can  tell  you  why.  Love  does  not 
lie  hidden  away  in  secret  places,  guarded  by  signs. 
It  is  about  you,  everywhere.  It  lies  in  my  eyes,  if 
you  will  only  read  them.  It  lies  on  my  lips,  if  you 
will  let  them  speak.  It  lies  in  my  heart,  yours  from 
the  moment  I  first  saw  you.  Look  only  at  me,  Rose, 
if  you  wish  to  see  Love,  Listen  to  me  if  you  want 
to  hear  its  voice." 

She  turned  her  head  away  and  he  was  silent,  wait- 
ing and  fearing  lest  he  had  said  too  much.  Would 
her  mood  hold  ? 

"  Mr.  Fort,"  she  said  after  a  long  pause.  "  You 
and  I  once  promised  to  be  always  frank  with  one  an- 
other. I  even  went  the  length  this  afternoon  of  tell- 
ing you  that  if  I  ever  felt  like  returning  to  the  subject 
of  your  love  for  me,  I  would  do  so  of  my  own  accord. 
You  see  I  meant  what  I  said.  I  have  made  up  my 
mind  to  consider  this  matter  seriously.  There  is 
only  one  drawback  to  such  a  consideration  —  my  own 
ignorance." 

"Your  ignorance?  I  don't  know  what  you 
mean." 

"  Some  time  ago  I  began  to  suspect  that  Madge 
suspected  —  I  mean  I  perceived  that  Madge  per- 
ceived—  this  is  harder  to  say  than  I  supposed  it 
would  be." 

"  Do  go  on.     I  think  I  understand  you." 

"Madge  thought  I  was  falling  —  in  love  —  with 
you.  She  kept  this  to  herself,  but  she  is  so  transpar- 


400     THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

ent  that  I  read  through  the  meaning  of  her  actions. 
She  sent  me  to  you  at  once  —  that  was  the  day  you 
drew  the  map  for  me  —  and  ever  since  she  has 
worked  valiantly  to  throw  us  two  together." 

"  Yes,  I  know.  Madge  has  been  on  my  side  for 
some  timo  past." 

"  Indeed !  Well,  it  all  amused  me  very  much.  I 
liked  you,  and  so  I  did  not  mind.  But  this  after- 
noon Tom  told  me  roughly  that  I  was  in  love  with 
you." 

"  What  did  you  say  to  him  ?  " 

"I  denied  it." 

"  Did  he  believe  you  ?  " 

"No—     He  didn't." 

"  So  you  denied  it  again,  I  suppose,  and  looked 
him  in  the  eyes  — " 

"  That's  just  it.  I  was  quite  able  to  deny  again, 
but—" 

"But  what?" 

"  I  could  not  look  him  in  the  eyes." 

"  Rose.     Do  you  mean  — " 

"  I  don't  know  what  I  mean,  Mr.  Fort.  I  don't 
even  know  why  I  am  telling  this  to  you.  I  only  know 
I  could  not  meet  his  gaze  and  say  I  did  not  love  you. 
I  don't  believe  I  love  you.  I  don't  believe  I  shall 
ever  love  any  one.  Only  —  what  is  it  that  I  feel 
for  you  ?  Is  it  friendship  ?  I  should  like  to  classify 
it,  and  label  it  plainly,  so  I  would  no  longer  mis- 
understand, or  be  misunderstood.  That  is  why  I 


THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA     401 

venture  to  speak  out  like  this.  I  want  you  to  help  me 
analyze  the  sincere  liking  I  have  for  you,  so  that  our 
future  relationship  may  be  clearly  denned." 

Was  she  laughing  at  him?  Apparently  not,  for 
the  eyes  she  lifted  up  to  his  were  as  clear  and  limpid 
as  a  mountain  brook.  Yet  it  was  too  absurd,  thought 
Homer,  for  her  to  come  to  him  like  this,  and  ask  him 
point  blank  for  such  a  definition.  Should  he  fling 
scruples  to  the  winds,  take  her  into  his  arms,  and  kiss 
her  soul  awake  into  either  love  or  loathing  ? 

He  considered  for  a  time  and  a  new  feeling  rose 
within  him  which  he  soon  recognized  to  be  resent- 
ment. She  had  no  right  to  tax  him  so.  Did  she  not 
know  how  hard  this  was  for  him  ?  And  then,  in  its 
turn,  resentment  gave  way  to  admiration.  Her  cour- 
age was  superb  in  thus  flinging  down  the  barriers, 
and  meeting  him  face  to  face.  He  saw  that  she  was 
really  in  earnest  about  it  all.  She  was  puzzled, 
alarmed  perhaps,  and  in  throwing  herself  upon  his 
mercy  she  had  unconsciously  displayed  reliance  on 
him  of  which  he  could  be  justly  proud.  And  with 
this  realization  came  to  him  the  knowledge  of  how 
best  to  meet  her  frank  confession. 

"  I  will  help  you,"  he  said  gravely.  "  Rose,  I 
think  we  have  been  such  true  comrades  that  you  have 
lost  your  perspective.  I  have  been  in  your  home 
and  near  you,  so  that  you've  grown  to  accept  me  some- 
what as  you  would  if  I  were  your  brother." 

"  I  should  have  liked  a  brother  — " 


402     THE   SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

"  Yes,  I  know.  But,  Rose,  I  love  you  in  a  differ- 
ent way  from  that.  I  want  you  to  think  of  me  dif- 
ferently. So  the  very  best  thing  for  both  of  us  will 
be  for  me  to  go  away  sooner  than  I  had  planned  — 
to-morrow." 

"  Away  ?     From  Salem  ?     From  me  ?  " 

"  From  Salem  and  from  you.  You  need  time  to 
get  a  new  point  of  view.  You  need  to  miss  me,  Eose. 
If  I  am  absent,  then  perhaps  your  own  heart  will 
plead  my  cause.  You  will  learn  just  how  much  of 
yourself  belongs  to  me.  And  when  you  have  settled 
everything,  write  to  me  either  to  come  to  you  —  or 
stay  away,  forever." 

"But  I  could  never  endure  that,"  she  cried 
quickly.  "  I  could  not  bear  never  to  see  you  again. 
Why  need  that  be  ?  " 

"  Rose,  don't  you  know  what  torture  mere  friend- 
ship with  you  is,  when  I  want  so  much  more  ?  " 

"  But  we've  been  happy  this  summer  — " 

"  Indeed  we  have.  The  memory  of  it  will  never 
leave  my  heart.  I'll  take  that  memory  with  me  to 
Chicago  — " 

"So  far  away?" 

"  So  far  away.  My  work  lies  there,  Eose.  It  will 
help  me  bear  the  suspense  I'll  feel  while  waiting  there 
alone." 

She  thought  a  moment.  Then,  with  eyes  upon  the 
ground,  "I  do  not  want  you  to  go  away,"  she  an- 
nounced quietly. 


THE   SHELLEY S   OF   GEORGIA     403 

"  I  must  go,"  he  repeated.  "  It  is  the  only  way. 
Come,  Rose.  We  shall  be  late  for  dinner." 

He  helped  her  to  her  feet,  and  hand  in  hand  they 
went  down  the  mountain  path  together.  She  was 
silent,  preoccupied,  and  he,  wise  from  the  depths  of 
his  love  for  her,  was  silent  too,  for  he  knew  she  was 
dwelling  on  his  absence,  picturing  the  time  without 
him,  and  wondering  how  it  would  seem.  They  had 
reached  the  level  ground  once  more,  and  had  turned 
into  the  narrow  way  which  led  to  Suncrest,  when  sud- 
denly she  paused  and  faced  him,  speaking  with  con- 
viction. 

"  I  do  not  want  you  to  go  away." 

He  smiled.     "  But  I  must  go." 

11 1  wish  I  were  a  man,  and  could  go  with  you." 

t(  I  wish  you  were  my  wife,  and  so  could  go." 

She  shook  her  head  and  preceded  him  down  the 
path.  And  then  again  she  paused,  this  time  with  up- 
lifted hand  to  enjoin  his  silence.  He  stopped  beside 
her.  Ahead,  half-hidden  by  the  leafy  undergrowth, 
lay  the  clear  spring  from  which  the  mountain  folks 
about  were  wont  to  come  to  get  their  drinking  water. 
Minnie's  mother,  stifling  her  own  emotion  at  the 
events  of  the  day,  and  busy  in  discharging  her  new 
duties  as  housekeeper  for  Suncrest,  had  come  alone 
with  a  pitcher  to  the  spring. 

Once  there,  however,  the  thought  of  her  daughter, 
her  "li'l  gal,"  had  risen  uppermost.  How  many, 
many  times,  in  the  days  gone  by,  had  Minnie  come  to 


404     THE    SHELLEYS    OF    GEORGIA 

this  same  spring  for  water?  First,  as  a  barefoot 
child,  so  little  she  could  scarcely  lift  the  pail,  next  as 
a  maiden,  shy  and  diffident;  then  as  a  woman,  with 
the  near  prospect  of  her  motherhood  to  shame  her, 
and  at  last  as  a  mother,  shunned  by  her  friends,  for- 
saken and  disgraced.  Now  she  had  gone  away  a 
happy  wife  and  mother  —  it  was  too  much.  The 
fountain  of  Mrs.  Gray's  tears  had  been  so  long  dry 
that  she  could  not  find  relief  in  weeping,  so,  in  her 
gratitude  for  the  final  outcome  of  her  daughter's  suf- 
fering, she  had  knelt  by  her  full  pitcher,  and  with 
uplifted  hands  she  was  pouring  out  her  soul  to  the 
only  God  she  knew. 

"  Gawd,  I  hev  been  a  hard  an'  onforgivin'  ole 
woman,  thinkin'  as  how  you  had  deserted  me  an' 
mine.  I  laid  things  up  agin  you,  Gawd,  an'  wouldn't 
pray  ner  ax  fer  mercy.  An'  all  the  time  you  wuz 
a-plannin'  out  how  best  to  make  Minnie  happy.  But 
I  didn't  know.  My  faith  wuzn't  built  on  a  rock,  I 
reckon,  but  it  is  naow.  O  Lawd,  do  give  me  another 
chanct,  an'  I'll  show  you  how  I  am  desarvin',  in  spite 
of  all  my  meanness.  When  you  took  away  my  Ben, 
I  wuz  jus'  natterally  plumb  wore  out,  an'  it  did  seem 
like  as  though  I  didn't  hev  no  prop  to  lean  on  no 
longer.  Fer  a  long  time  the  bottom  jes'  seemed  to 
drop  right  out  of  ever'thing.  O  Gawd,  them  years 
without  Ben  —  them  years  without  my  Ben !  —  But 
naow,  sense  Minnie  is  righted,  someways  I  feel  like 
Ben  wuz  near  to  me  once  more.  I  feel  like  he'd 


THE   SHELLEYS    OF   GEORGIA     405 

sorter  helped  you  plan,  Gawd.  Mebbe  he  went  up  to 
you,  an'  whispered  in  your  ear  'bout  his  ole  frien' 
Gabe,  an'  started  you  inter  doin'  all  this  what's  come 
to  pass.  An'  I'm  sure,  Gawd,  that  when  I  come  ter 
die,  Ben'll  be  thar  beside  you,  waitin'  fer  his  ole 
woman. — -  Gawd,  somehow  I  cain't  think  of  Heaven 
an'  you  without  thinkin'  of  my  Ben.  A-men." 

It  had  seemed  the  kindest  part  to  stay  discreetly 
silent,  and  let  the  woman  think  herself  unwatched. 
As  she  rose  from  her  knees,  with  her  worn  face  trans- 
figured by  the  fervor  of  her  prayer,  Eose  shrank  still 
further  back  into  the  leafy  path,  pulling  Homer  with 
her.  Together  they  watched  the  work-worn  figure  go 
slowly  toward  Suncrest.  And  then  Homer  saw  that 
his  companion's  eyes  were  soft  with  tears. 

"  Gawd,  somehow  I  cain't  think  of  Heaven  an' 
you,  without  thinkin'  of  my  Ben."  It  was  those 
simple  words,  from  the  lips  of  Minnie's  mother,  that 
woke  Rose  up  at  last.  Prepared  for  them  by  Homer's 
announcement  that  he  was  going  away,  touched  to 
the  heart  by  Mrs.  Gray's  passionate  outcry  against 
the  years  when  she  had  seemed  to  be  without  Ben  — 
those  long,  sad  years,  when  poverty  and  shame  had 
made  her  hard  and  rebellious  —  Eose  was  roused 
as  she  had  never  been  before  in  her  whole  young 
life.  She  did  not  try  to  analyze  the  meaning  of  the 
feeling  which  swept  over  her.  She  did  not  have  to 
try.  She  knew.  And,  knowing,  she  was  not  the 
sort  to  keep  her  lover  waiting.  Like  a  homing  bird 


406     THE   SHELLEYS   OF   GEORGIA 

she  turned  and  flew  straight  into  his  arms.  They 
closed  hungrily  about  her.  Though  it  is  safe  to  say 
that  Homer  was  the  most  astonished  man  in  Georgia 
at  that  moment,  he  allowed  nothing  of  his  bewilder- 
ment to  betray  itself  in  his  manner.  And  when  she 
lifted  up  her  face,  with  her  mouth  all  rosy  for  his 
kiss,  he  lost  no  time  in  placing  that  kiss  exactly  where 
it  belonged. 

"  Mrs.  Gray  once  told  me  that  she  hoped  the  time 
would  come  when  she  could  repay  me  for  all  I'd  done 
for  Minnie.  Homer,  she  has  repaid  me,"  whispered 
Rose. 

"  How  do  you  mean  ? "  Homer  was  completely 
puzzled.  He  had  but  just  now  made  up  his  mind  to 
months  of  doubt. 

"  She  said  she  couldn't  think  of  Heaven  and  God 
without  thinking  of  her  Ben.  Homer,  that  is  exactly 
the  way  I  feel  about  you.  I  cannot  think  of  any- 
thing at  all  without  including  you.  You  were  right. 
I  had  fancied  Love  as  something  high,  something  to 
be  attained,  when  all  the  time  it  is  just  life  —  and 

you." 

"It's  life  and  you,  you  mean,"  cried  Homer, 
straining  her  to  his  heart. 

"  I  think  it's  just  we  two  together,"  answered 
Rose. 

THE   END 


JOHN  FOX,  JR'S. 

STORIES   OF  THE  KENTUCKY  MOUNTAINS 

May  IN  had  wherever  books  an  sold.      Ask  for  Gromt  and  Dnlap's  list 

THE  TRAIL   OF  THE    LONESOME  PINE./ 
Illustrated  by  F.  C.  Yohn.' 

The  "lonesome  pine"  from  which  the 
story  takes  its  name  was  a  tall  tree  that 
stood  m  solitary  splendor  on  a  mountain 
top.  The  fame  of  the  pine  lured  a  young 
engineer  through  Kentucky  to  catch  the 
trail,  and  when  he  finally  climbed  to  its 
shelter  he  found  not  only  the  pine  but  the 
foot-prints  of  a  girl.  And  the  girl  proved 
to  be  lovely,  piquant,  and  the  trail  of 
these  girlish  foot-prints  led  the  young 
engineer  a  madder  chase  than  "the  trail 
of  the  lonesome  pine." 

THE  LITTLE  SHEPHERD  OF  Klh'GDOM  CO.\i  £ 
Illustrated  by  F.  C.  Yohn. 

This  is  a  story  of  Kentucky,  in  a  settlement  known  as  "King- 
dom Come."  It  is  a  life  rude,  semi-barbarous;  but  natural 
and  honest,  from  which  often  springs  the  flower  of  civilization. 

«'  Chad."  the  "little  shepherd"  did  not  know  who  he  was  nor 
whence  he  came — he  had  just  wandered  from  door  to  door  since 
early  childhood,  seeking  shelter  with  kindly  mountaineers  who 
gladly  fathered  and  mothered  this  waif  about  whom  there  was 
such  a  mystery — a  charming  waif,  by  the  way,  who  could  play 
the  banjo  better  that  anyone  else  in  the  mountains. 

A  KNIGHT  OF  THE    CUMBERLAND.. 
Illustrated   by  F.  C.  Yohn. 

The  scenes  are  laid  along  the  waters  of  the  Cumberlandt 
the  lair  of  moonshiner  and  f  eudsman.  The  knight  is  a  moon- 
shiner's son,  and  the  heroine  a  beautiful  girl  perversely  chris- 
tened "The  Blight."  Two  impetuous  young  Southerners'  fall 
under  the  spell  of  "The  Blight's  "  charms  and  she  learns  what 
a  large  part  jealousy  and  pistols  have  in  the  love  making  of  the 
mountaineers. 

Included  in  this  volume  is  "  Hell  f  er-Sartain"  and  other 
stories,  some  of  Mr.  Fox's  most  entertaining  Cumberland  valley 
narratives.  _\ 

AA  for  comfrt*  frc*  1i*t  *f  G.  &  D.  PojuJar  Copyright,*  Fiction.  . 

GROSSET  &  DUNLAP,  526  WEST  26th  ST.,  NEW  YORK 


MYRTLE    REED'S   NOVELS 

May  be  had  wherever  books  are  sold.     Ask  far  Grosset  and  Duntap's  list 

LAVENDER  AND  OLD  LACE. 

A  charming  story  of  a  quaint  corner  of  New  England,  where  by- 
gone romance  finds  a  modern  parallel,  The  story  centers  round 
the  coming  of  love  to  the  young  people  on  the  staff  of  a  newspaper — 
and  it  is  one  of  the  prettiest,  sweetest  and  quaintest  of  old-fashioned 
love  stories. 
MASTER  OF  THE  VINEYARD. 

A  pathetic  love  story  of  a  young  girl,  Rosemary.  The  teacher  of 
the  country  school,  who  is  also  master  of  the  vineyard,  comes  to 
know  her  through  her  desire  for  books.  She  is  happy  in  his  love  tiH 
another  woman  comes  into  his  life.  But  happiness  and  emancipa- 
tion from  her  many  trials  come  to  Rosemary  at  last.  The  book  has 
a  touch  of  humor  and  pathos  that  will  appeal  to  every  reader. 
OLD  ROSE  AND  SILVER. 

A  love  story, — sentimental  and  humorous, — with  the  plot  subor- 
dinate to  the  character  delineation  of  its  quaint  people  and  to  the 
exquisite   descriptions   of  picturesque  spots  and  of  lovely,  old,  rare 
treasures. 
A  WEAVER  OF  DREAMS. 

This  story  tells  of  the  love-affairs  of  three  young  people,  with  an 
old-fashioned  romance  in  the  background.  A  tiny  dog  plays  an  im- 
portant role  in  serving  as  a  foil  for  the  heroine's  talking  ingenious- 
ness.  There  is  poetry,  as  well  as  tenderness  and  charm,  in  this  tale 
of  a  weaver  of  dreams. 
A  SPINNER  IN  THE  SUN. 

An  old-fashioned  love  story,  of  a  veiled  lady  who  lives  in  solitude 
and  whose  features  her  neighbors  have  never  seen.  There  is  a  mys- 
tery at  the  heart  of  the  book  that  throws  over  it  the  glamour  of 


THE  MASTER'S  VIOLIN. 

A  love  story  in  a  musical  atmosphere.  A  picturesque,  old  Ger- 
man virtuoso  consents  to  take  for  his  pupil  a  handsome  youth  who 
proves  to  have  an  aptitude  for  technique,  but  not  the  soul  of  an 
artist.  The  youth  cannot  express  the  love,  the  passion  and  the 
tragedies  of  life  as  can  the  master.  But  a  girl  comes  into  his  life, 
and  through  his  passionate  love  for  her,  he  learns  the  lessons  that 
life  has  to  give — and  his  soul  awakes. 

GROSSET  &  DUNLAP,        PUBLISHERS,        NEW  YORK 


STORIES  OF  RARE  CHARM  BY 

GENE   STRATTON-PORTER 

May  be  had  wherever  books  are  sold.     Ask  for  Cresset  *  Dunlip't  Itet 

MICHAEL  O'HALLORAN,      Illustrated  by  Frances  Rogers. 

Michael  is  a  quick-witted  little  Irish  newsboy ,  living  in  Northern 
Indiana.     He  adopts  a  deserted  little  girl,  a  cripple.     He  also  as- 
sumes the  responsibility  of  leading  the  entire  rural  community  up- 
ward and  onward, 
LADDIE.      Illustrated  by  Herman  Pfeifer. 

This  is  a  bright,  cheery  tale  with  the  scenes  laid  in  Indiana.  The 
Btory  is  told  by  Little  Sister,  the  youngest  member  of  a  large  family, 
but  it  is  concerned  not  so  much  with  childish  doings  as  with  the  love 
affairs  of  older  members  of  the  family.  Chief  among  them  is  that 
of  Laddie  and  the  Princess,  an  English  girl  who  has  come  to  live  in 
the  neighborhood  and  about  whose  family  there  hangs  a  mystery. 
THE  HARVESTER.  Illustrated  by  W.  L.  Jacobs. 

"The  Harvester,"  is  a  man  of  the  woods  and  fields,  and  if  the 
book  had  nothing  in  it  but  the  splendid  figure  of  this  man  it  would 
be  notable.     But  when  the  Girl  comes  to  his  "Medicine  Woods," 
there  begins  a  romance  of  the  rarest  idyllic  quality. 
FRECKLES.      Illustrated. 

Freckles  is  a  nameless  waif  when  the  tale  opens,  but  the  way  in 
which  he  takes  hold  of  life  ;  the  nature  friendships  he  forms  in  the 
great  Limberlost  Swamp  ;  the  manner  in  which  everyone  who  meets 
him  succumbs  to  the  charm  of  his  engaging  personality  ;  and  hia 
love-story  with  "  The  Angel "  are  full  of  real  sentiment, 
A  GIRL  OF  THE  LIMBERLOST.  Illustrated. 

The  story  of  a  girl  of  the  Michigan  woods ;  a  buoyant,  loveable 
type  of  the  self-reliant  American.  Her  philosophy  is  one  of  love  and 
kindness  towards  all  things  ;  her  hope  is  never  dimmed.  And  by 
the  sheer  beauty  of  her  soul,  and  the  purity  of  her  vision,  she  wins  from 
barren  and  unpromising  surroundings  those  rewards  of  high  courage. 
AT  THE  FOOT  OF  THE  RAINBOW.  Illustrations  in  colors. 

The  scene  of  this  charming  love  story  is  laid  in  Central  Indiana 
The   story  is  one  of  devoted  friendship,  and  tender  self-sacrificing 
love.     The  novel  is  brimful  of  the  most  beautiful  word  painting  of 
nature,  and  its  pathos  and  tender  sentiment  will  endear  it  to  alL 
THE  SONG  OF  THE  CARDINAL.      Profusely  illustrated. 

A  love  ideal  of  the  Cardinal  bird  and  his  mate,  told  with  delicacy 
and  humor.  ._. 

GROSSET  &  DUNLAP,        PUBLISHERS,        NEW  YORK 


ZANE  GREY'S  NOVELS 

May  bt  had  whorevtr  books  ire  sold.        Asfc  for  firotset  «.  Dunlin's  itst 
THE  LIGHT  OF  WESTERN  STARS 

A  New  York  society  girl  buys  a  ranch  which  becomes  the  centtr  of  frontier  war- 
fare. _  Her  loyal  superintendent  rescues  her  when  she  is  captured  by  bandits.  A 
surprising  rhmat  brings  the  story  to  a  delightful  close. 

THE  RAINBOW  TRAIL 

"P16*  slory  -?f  a,  y°yn?  clergyman  who  becomes  a  wanderer  In  the  great  western^1 

DESERT  GOLD™*1 

The  story  describes  the  recent  uprising  along  the  border,  and  cads  with  the  finding 
«  the  gold  which  two  prospectors  had  willed  to  the  girl  who  is  the  story's  heroine- 

RIDERS  OF  THE  PURPLE  SAGE 

A  picturesque  romance  of  Utah  of  some  forty  years  ago  when  Mormon  authority 
ruled.  The  prosecution  of  Jane  Withersteen  is  the  theme  of  the  story. 

THE  LAST  OF  THE  PLAINSMEN 

This  is  the  record  of  a  trip  which  the  author  took  with  Buffalo  Jones,  known  as  the 
preserver  of  the  American  bison,  across  the  Arizona  desert  and  of  a  hunt  in  "that 
wonderful  country  of  deep  canons  and  giant  pines." 

THE  HERITAGE  OF  THE  DESERT 

A  lovely  girl,  who  has  been  reared  among  Mormons,  leams  to  love  a  young  New 
Englander.  The  Mormon  religion,  however,  demands  that  the  girl  shall  become 
the  second  wife  of  one  of  the  Mormons— Well,  that's  the  problem  of  this  great  story. 

THE  SHORT  STOP 

The  young  hero,  tiring  of  his  factory  grind,  starts  out  to  win  fame  and  'ortune  as 
a  professional  ball  player.  His  h?jd  knocks  at  the  start  are  followed  by  such  success 
as  clean  sportsmanship,  courage  and  .Scnesty  ought  to  win. 

BETTY  ZANE 

This  story  tells  of  the  bravery  and  her  Jsra  of  Betty,  the  beautiful  young  sister  of 
old  Colonel  Zane,  one  of  the  bravest  pioneers. 

THE  LONE  STAR  RANGER 

After  killing  a  man  in  self  defense,  Buck  Duane  becomes  an  outlaw  along  the 
Texas  bord«r._  In  a  camp  on  the  Mexican  side  of  the  river,  he  finds  a  young  girlheld 
prisoner,  and  in  attempting  to  rescue  her,  brings  down  upon  himself  the  wrath  of  her 
captors  and  henceforth  is  hunted  on  one  side  by  honest  men,  on  the  other  by  outlaws. 

THE  BORDER  LEGION 

Joan  Randle,  in  a  spirit  of  anger,  sent  Jim  Cleve  out  to  a  lawless  Western  mining 
camp,  to  prove  his  mettle.  Then  realizing  that  she  loved  him— she  followed  him  out. 
On  Tier  way,  she  is  captured  by  a  bandit  band,  and  trouble  begins  when  she  shoot  8 
Kells,  the  leader— and  nurses  him  to  health  again.  Here  enters  another  romance- - 
when  Joan,  disguised  as  an  outlaw,  observes  Jim,  in  the  throes  of  dissipation.  A  ?oL| 
Strike,  a  thrilling  robbery— gambling  and  gun  play  carry  you  along  breathlessly. 

THE   LAST  OF  THE  GREAT  SCOUTS; 
By  Helen  Cody  Wetmore  and  Zane  Grey 

The  life  story  of  Colonel  William  F.  Cody,  "  Buffalo  Bill."  as  told  by  his  sister  and 
Zane  Grey.  It  begins  with  his  boyhood  in  Iowa  and  his  first  encounter  with  an  In- 
dian. We  see  "  Bill "  as  a  pony  express  rider,  then  near  Fort  Sumter  as  Chief  of 
the  Scouts,  and  later  engaged  in  the  most  dangerous  Indian  campaigns.  There  is 
also  a  very  interesting  account  of  the  travels  of  "The  Wild  West "  Srow.  No  char- 
acter In  public  life  makes  a  stronger  appeal  to  the  imagination  o*  America  than 
"  Buffalo  Bill,"  whose  daring  and  bravery  made  him  famous.  

GROSSET  &  DUNLAP,        PUBLISHERS,        NEW  YORK 


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